Rama, 3 councilors in Paris

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and three Team Rama-allied councilors will be in Paris, France to attend the ongoing Climate Change Conference.

Rama and councilors David Tumulak, Richard Osmeña, and Nendell Hanz Abella were set to depart at 10 p.m. yesterday. The conference, which started on November 30, will end on December 13

“The whole world is going to be there,” Rama said, adding that the city must take part in the conference to gain global framework in reducing the effects of climate change.

The event would “establish a global framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, keeping global warming below 2 Degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels in the post-2020 period and introducing new elements of engagement to raise ambition in the pre-2020 period.”

Rama said he will be delivering a speech during the two-week conference, which will be attended by world leaders.

When asked about his topic, he said he has yet to confirm it.

The mayor was invited to talk during the Climate Resilience and Disaster Risk Management in Asian Cities forum, a side event of the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris.

 “I'm being asked to speak, but I cannot be in time with my speaking. Maybe there would be some arrangement that I would be available to speak in another forum," he said.

COP21 refers to the countries that have signed up to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

“The city will get something out of this. There would be different speakers and different solutions would be tackled. We need to restore what can be restored,” said Rama.

He said he chose the three councilors because they are members of Team Rama.

As to the expense of the trip, Rama said the organizer will pay for the plane ticket while the city government will shoulder the expenses for the three councilors through the city’s disaster funds.

The mayor said the Department of the Interior and Local Government has given them authority to travel.

Rama said he would be back in Cebu before December 10 in time for the opening of the Robinsons Galleria Cebu, while the three councilors would stay in Paris for the duration of the conference. — (FREEMAN)