THE KEYNOTE speech of President Rodrigo Duterte during the 76th session of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Sept. 22 (Manila time) was interesting as it supports and advocates climate change action. About time!
Duterte urged developed countries to “fulfill their longstanding commitment to climate financing, technology transfer, and capacity-building in the developing world.” He called it a “moral obligation.”
Indeed, climate change action is the call of the times! There is no denying its impact globally and even locally. In the Philippines (PH), there is a need for policy makers, the government, the business sector, and the citizens to work together in harmony to respond to that call.
The president also said the world is now facing a “critical tipping point,” adding that failure to act on climate change would lead to “cataclysmic consequences for the whole of humankind.”
“We therefore appeal for urgent climate action,” Duterte said. “Climate change has also exposed the varying vulnerabilities of countries around the globe. The risks and burden of a warming climate are simply not the same for everyone. The greatest injustice here is that those who suffer the most are those the least responsible for this existential crisis.”
In the same speech, Duterte said PH accepts its share of responsibility and will do its part to address climate change. It maybe recalled that the president has approved the country’s first Nationally Determined Contribution which sets a 75% greenhouse gas or GHG emission reduction and avoidance by 2030, as part of PH’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change for agriculture, waste, industry, transport, and energy sectors.
Interestingly, Duterte added that he has also issued a moratorium on the construction of new coal power plants, as well as a directive to explore the nuclear energy option.
Meanwhile, a news article from the Philippine Climate Change Commission (CCC) said, “Plastics remain as one of the most pressing environmental and climate issues in the world.” This is because “only 9% of the more than 8.3 billion tons of plastics generated since the 1950s was recycled and 60% became plastic waste.” Moreover, “as a petroleum product, plastics also contribute to global warming due to the release of greenhouse gases from its extraction to disposal.”
Of course, from documentaries and local and international news, we have learned about this, but the question remains: “How are Filipinos responding to this threat?”
House Bill 9147 or the Single-Use Plastic Products Regulation Act which was passed on third and final reading in the House of Representatives on July 28, 2021, is a welcome development since the CCC is hopeful that this could address the rising plastic consumption in the country.
In gist, the bill seeks the gradual phase-out of single-use plastics, development of sustainable alternatives, and greater cooperation from the private sector to collect, recycle, and manage plastic waste.
Meanwhile, the CCC welcomed the release of a Greenpeace Report highlighting the link between plastics and fossil fuels and urged advocates to generate public support for measures and innovations that address single-use plastics.
According to CCC Commissioner Rachel Sibugan-Herrera, “We very much welcome this effort to give the Philippines and the world a clearer picture of the link between the industries of consumer goods and of fossil fuel, and how plans to expand plastic production – which is a major driver of climate change – directly threaten our communities and could derail our work to achieve global climate commitments.”
Herrera said, “The CCC is taking urgent note of the report’s key findings and recommendations.” Herrera likewise encouraged advocates to elevate the level of information advocacy and mobilize stronger public support for the Single-Use Plastics Regulation Act in the House of Representatives.
According to the Greenpeace Report, “The Philippines faces some of the harshest and most severe climate impacts annually. On top of that, our nation also struggles with plastic pollution. The plastic crisis is adding its own set of environmental, health, and social problems that Filipinos must grapple with. We’re literally drowning in plastic, and it’s not manufacturers or big brands that are paying the price, but our own communities.”
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Food for Thought
Let’s remember that what is good for the planet is good for our people, our communities, our economy, and our industries. – Commissioner Rachel Sibugan-Herrera
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Writer can be reached at belindabelsales@gmail.com. Twitter @ShilohRuthie./PN
