Global effort urged to make world climate-proof

MANILA, Philippines - Countries may soon have to accommodate climate refugees and face more devastating calamities if they will not work together to make the world climate-proof, President Aquino warned yesterday.

Speaking at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) conference on disaster risk reduction and management, Aquino said for some island-countries such as Kiribati in the Central Pacific Ocean, climate change has become a threat to their survival.

“If water levels continue to rise, in time their country will be completely consumed by the ocean,” he said.

Aquino said this led him to ask what the citizens of that country have done to deserve the prospect of being the first batch of climate refugees.

He said developing countries such as the Philippines, despite having an almost insignificant carbon footprint, are vulnerable to hazards such as Super Typhoon Yolanda.

“What did the thousands who perished and the millions affected by that super typhoon do to deserve such a fate? Is it not incumbent upon all of us to address the problem of climate change as one global community at the soonest possible time?” Aquino asked.

He said Yolanda was a harsh reminder that the effects of climate change are worsening and the government has to do more than the initiatives it had undertaken in the past.

He said the Philippines is trying to integrate the principles on climate adaptation, so it would influence decision-making in governance and encourage other nations toward realizing this end.

“Essentially, we are trying to climate-proof our path to progress,” he said.

But no man is an island when it comes to the response needed to combat climate change.

“We are now faced with a crucial choice: We can either act collectively to address the problem, or we can choose to act independently, or not at all, and suffer the aftermath of inaction collectively,” Aquino said, adding whatever the choices we make, we would reap the consequences together.

“This is why I encourage all of you: Let us continue working together through forums such as this one, and let us deepen our cooperation to give rise to a world that is safer and more resilient,” he said.

Lessons to share

Aquino said the Philippines has very meaningful lessons to share, citing the recent World Economic Forum on East Asia held in Manila.

During the WEF, UN assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and deputy emergency relief coordinator Kyung-wha Kang said they would always talk about the Philippines as one of the best-prepared countries in the world when it comes to natural disasters.

“The Yolanda experience will be talked about for many years, both in this region and for us because there are many good lessons,” Kang said.

Aquino said the country was used to typhoons, being visited by around 20 each year. But he said the storms have not only become more powerful, but have begun shifting track and hitting areas not normally frequented by typhoons.

In the last 20 years, Aquino said the country observed an increase in the number of typhoons crossing the Visayas and Mindanao regions. These regions have also seen the most powerful typhoons in recent years – Washi (Sendong) in 2011, Bopha (Pablo) in 2012 and Haiyan (Yolanda) in 2013.

Aquino said this was the reason why the government could no longer just be reactive, but be proactive in reducing the risks posed by natural calamities.

For his part, Vice President Jejomar Binay urged Filipinos to do their part to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“We must do our part to stave off the effects of climate change. Our contributions need not be on a grand scale. The simple act of switching off lights that are not in use, or turning off a faucet to conserve water, is sure to go a long way,” Binay said.

He urged Filipinos to reduce carbon footprint by practicing the “3Rs” – reduce, reuse and recycle.

Development in Tacloban cited

European Union Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Kristalina Georgieva cited the developments in Tacloban City.

Georgieva cited the Philippines for hosting the ASEM, and for bringing her to Tacloban City on Wednesday “to make it clear why we are here, why it is so critically important for the world to embrace this task of building resilient societies in Asia, in Europe, and for the whole community.”

It was Georgieva’s second visit to Tacloban. The first was immediately after Yolanda hit the country in November last year.

She said seeing the devastation for the first time terrified her, particularly with houses and livelihood destroyed, streets and roads filled with debris, and body bags lining both sides of the main road. – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Pia Lee-Brago