PH to press wealthy nations for climate funding

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The Philippines will push for stronger international partnerships and increased climate financing to address the economic impact of extreme weather events, including extreme heat, typhoons and flooding, at the ongoing UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.

“For millions of Filipino families, climate change is not a distant policy debate — it is an everyday reality affecting their livelihoods, homes, and safety,” Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said in a statement.

The DENR said the economic cost of climate inaction in the Philippines could reach P645 billion annually in the 2030s.

At COP31, Cuna said the Philippines would reaffirm its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2035.

The country is also seeking a four- to five-year extension of the Sharm el-Sheikh Mitigation Work Programme to strengthen the link between emissions reduction targets, climate financing and technology transfer, the DENR said.

The Philippines will also push for grant-based funding to support the implementation of its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and Adaptation Investment Platform, without adding to the debt burden of developing countries.

The government will further seek to ensure that all emissions reductions achieved in the country are credited toward its national climate targets.

It will also call for simplified procedures and direct access to the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage to ensure that disaster-stricken communities benefit from climate assistance.

“As we head into COP31, the Philippines is working towards building constructive international partnerships that back ambitious climate pledges with predictable, accessible financial and technical support so that local communities receive the protection they urgently need,” Cuna said.

However, environmental groups have questioned the government's climate commitments, citing its continued reliance on coal and fossil gas, support for waste-to-energy projects and other policies they said undermine environmental protection.

The Climate Action Tracker has warned that existing Philippine policies could allow emissions to continue rising through 2030, while the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has called for stronger measures to reduce emissions.

Environmental organizations have also raised concerns about Cuna's environmental track record, including his involvement in the Canadian garbage controversy, although criminal charges against him were dismissed in 2021.

They have urged the DENR to prioritize renewable energy, ecosystem protection and stronger environmental safeguards alongside its push for international climate financing.— MCG, GMA News

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