Duterte eyes attending climate change forum before term ends

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he would attend the next international climate change forum should there be any before his term ends on June 30 if rich nations continue to ignore their commitments.

At his weekly Talk to the People, Duterte indicated that he wanted to tell developed countries to honor their commitments to reduce their carbon footprints.

“If I may ask, is there any meeting between now and until the end of my term? Ako na ang pupunta d'on. Ano ba talaga gusto ninyo? Kasi ako itapon ko lahat ng basura sa dagat. Hindi na ko mag-landfill," Duterte said.

"Eh bakit? Kung ganoon kayo tapos lip service lang nga. You don't really honor commitments insofar as the changing of the climate... itong sa planet na ito,” he added.

(If I may ask, are there any meetings between now and until the end of my term? I will go there. I will ask them what is it they want to achieve? If it’s just me, I’ll just dump waste into the ocean, I won’t use the landfill anymore. Why would I? They’re doing pure lip service. They don’t honor their commitments insofar as the changing of the climate of this planet.)

It will be the first time Duterte would grace such an event if his plan pushes through.

“If they maintain their attitude towards this challenging huge task, eh taun-taon tayong babasagin dito sa ano, eh. Kung mag-ano sila… the start to reduce the carbon footprint sa ano nila.. eh di gawin na nila. Kung hindi magpunta na ako d'on sabihin ko sa meeting,” Duterte said.

(If they maintain their attitude towards this challenging huge task, we deal with its ill-effects yearly. That’s why they should start to reduce their carbon footprint. They should do it now or I will go there.)

Duterte made the remarks after Climate Change Commission (CCC) Vice-Chairman Robert Borje reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Borje told the President there would be two meetings: one in Sweden and Bonn in Germany.

He vowed to be “very frank” and tell participants — especially from developed countries — “what needs to be heard”.

“The voice of the developing world must be heard and we’re committed to doing that in the CCC,” Borje said.

In April, Duterte said rich industrialized countries should pay smaller countries like the Philippines reparations for damages caused by climate change saying it is the developing countries that bear the brunt of their massive carbon emissions. —NB, GMA News