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Paris Agreement can aid PHL economic growth –iCSC



The Philippine economy has much to gain from supporting the Paris Agreement, a global pact to curb the effects of climate change that took effect Friday, November 4. 

A total of 73 countries, including the Philippines, ratified the agreement, which aims to reduce worldwide greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

However, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has taken a cautious stance on the agreement amid concerns of its impact on the country's economic growth.

But in an interview with Howie Severino on GMA News To Go, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (iCSC) Executive Director Redentor Constantino said that the Paris Agreement could only help the Philippines' development.

In the first place, the agreement seeks to address the need to mitigate the effects of climate change to which the Philippines is highly vulnerable.

"May banta sa ating mga seaports dahil tumataas ang dagat, kailangan ayusin ang supply chain sa pagkain, urban services para pag dumating ang ma smalaking sakuna, protektado ang ating mamamayan," Constantino said.

"Ang climate change ay hindi lang sa ibang bansa nangyayari. Tinatamaan na tayo, taon taon lumalala ang banta sa ating bayan," he warned.

Moreover, Constantino said that climate change mitigation has economy-wide impacts and implications.  In particular, he noted that the Paris Agreement is a much-needed push toward energy self-sufficiency.

"If we rely more sa ating resources, strategically dapat mas papunta tayo sa mas efficient na economy. Hindi banta ang Paris Agreement sa ating bansa; mas makakatulong pa nga ito," he said.

The Philippines' support of the Paris Agreement could even lead to more jobs.

"indi energy issue lang ang climate change; saklaw niya ang buong ekonomiya. Pag inupgrade mo ang mga ito, panibagong libu-libong trabaho ang makukuha dito, hindi ito simpleng sektor lang," Constantino explained. — GMA News

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