EDITORIAL – Global action vs warming

It’s no coincidence that the Philippines is leading a forum of countries highly vulnerable to climate change at the United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP21, which opens today in Paris.

The Philippines is one of several countries classified by experts to be at high risk of suffering from climate change. In recent years Filipinos have seen grievous devastation from extreme weather, including storm surges in secluded bays. A spike in dengue cases is also being blamed on global warming, which is said to be creating more breeding spaces for dengue-causing mosquitoes.

President Aquino will address the Climate Vulnerable Forum, which completed two years of regional and global consultations in the Philippines and approved The Manila Communiqué on Nov. 11. The forum will adopt the Manila-Paris Declaration as its collective input in COP21 or the Conference of Parties in the French capital.

COP21 brings together leaders of over 180 countries. While almost all have mapped out plans to cut carbon emissions to fight global warming, disagreements are expected, starting with the basic target: should warming be limited to an increase of 2 degrees Celsius or 1.5 degrees from pre-industrial levels?

There is also the persistent question of how well countries can make good on their commitments. Arguments from previous climate gatherings will persist, with certain developing countries unwilling to make drastic cuts in consumption of fossil fuels, which are still the most affordable. The largest oil producers are also likely to balk at the target emissions cut.

Even wealthy countries face criticism for their record in abiding by their commitments.

In 2009 the rich promised to provide a total of $100 billion to help developing countries reduce their carbon footprint. But release of the funding has been slow. Developing nations also want greater measures to cut carbon emissions by the wealthy, which are among the biggest consumers of fossil fuels.

Still, there is general agreement that nations need to do more to confront climate change. Global warming not only spawns deadly natural disasters but also holds back economic growth, worsens poverty and poses risks to public health. A problem that endangers the planet’s existence deserves concerted global action.