MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government is rallying ASEAN neighbors to take a “strong united position” on climate obligations and issues ahead of the annual climate summit – the United Nations’ Conference of Parties (COP31) – happening in Turkey late this year.

“What we want to achieve, first of all, is that going to COP31, is that the region, ASEAN member states, come up with a strong united position on all the aspects that we would like to put forth and are committed to, particularly on access to finance,” Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said in a press briefing Monday, April 27, during the opening of the ASEAN climate week.

Cuna said the Philippines is leading the preparation of a joint statement among ASEAN nations that would touch on crucial issues such as adaptation, climate targets (or nationally determined contributions), financing, loss and damage, and just energy transition.

“Many of us here in ASEAN are developing countries and we would like to move from what we call ambition to delivery,” said Cuna.

One finance mechanism parties agreed to in previous COPs is the loss and damage fund. The Philippines is hosting the board of the fund.

Environment Undersecretary Analiza Rebuelta-Teh said this places the region “in a better position to put forward its recommendations on how to strengthen” access of developing nations.

In the past COP held in Brazil, civil society groups criticized the Philippine delegation for alleged failure to take a strong stance, including its silence on the fossil fuel phaseout campaign that garnered support from both rich and poor nations.

Climate and economic effort

Reducing emissions requires regional and international cooperation. Not only is mitigation a climate obligation (as was decided by no less than the International Court of Justice), it is also a matter of economic development.

ASEAN’s roadmap to carbon neutrality low carbon development expects trillions worth of increase in GDP value-add and green investments, and millions of new jobs by 2050.

“We are all working on our long-term strategies towards low carbon development so that we will all be addressing the need to come up with mitigation measures,” said Teh.

The ASEAN climate week, happening April 27 to May 1, gives countries space outside formal channels where they can discuss best practices of member states, according to Naeeda Crishna Morgado of the Asian Development Bank.

The sessions will be held virtually due to the government’s austerity measures as response to the Middle East crisis. – Rappler.com