(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte called on countries to “make good on their commitment” to fight climate change, as he noted that developing countries such as the Philippines suffered the most.
In his first address before the United Nations, the President noted that the “same urgency needed to fight COVID-19” was needed to address the “climate crisis,” which he said has “worsened” and “has worsened existing inequalities and vulnerabilities from within and between nations.”
“People in developing countries like the Philippines suffer the most. We cannot afford to suffer more,” he said.
The President noted the Paris agreement, the landmark agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that seeks to operationalize global efforts to fight climate change.
It seeks to keep global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to limit temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
During the 2016 opening for signature of the agreement, 175 countries and the European Union signed the pact, while 15 states deposited instruments for ratification.
“We call on all parties especially those who have not made good their commitment to fight climate change to honor the same,” President Duterte said.
He also called on “all parties to to strengthen immunities and people’s preparedness and resilience.”
“We’re talking about mankind and earth, our one only home,” he said.