Philippines urged to call for climate reparations from rich nations
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine delegation at COP27 climate talks should hold wealthy countries accountable for generating pollution driving climate change, a non-profit group said Friday.
Developing countries such as the Philippines are already bearing the brunt of the destructive impacts of climate change such as storms, floods and droughts even though these nations have produced very little planet-warming emissions.
“The government should call for carbon majors or those who contributed the most carbon emissions to pay compensation and reparation for their historical and current emissions, on top of previous climate finance commitments,” Oxfam Pilipinas country director Lot Felizco said.
“We should be at the forefront of this fight as we ensure that climate-vulnerable countries are armed with enough resources and technology to both mitigate and adapt to climate change,” Felizco added.
The Philippine delegation led by environment chief Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga earlier said that the country will assert “what is due for the developing countries which hardly produce any greenhouse gas emissions.”
She also said that “addressing loss and damage is crucial for Philippine climate action plans.” Loss and damage refers to the compensation to nations hit by climate-fueled disasters.
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Loss and damage funding
Fishers’ group PAMALAKAYA also called for adequate support for the loss and damage funding.
“Up to now, a significant number of fisherfolk in Manila Bay have yet to return to their normal socio-economic lives as their fishing boats and equipment have been destroyed by huge waves and typhoon debris. The devastating impacts of natural calamities were worsened by the massive destruction of forests and mangroves for large-scale logging, mining and reclamation,” it said.
Climate negotiators in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt agreed to discuss the thorny issue of funding for loss and damage. For years, wealthy nations, fearful of climate liability, have resisted the creation of a loss and damage fund.
READ: UN unveils global 'early warning' system for disasters at $3 billion
New Zealand recently announced it is allocating $12 million of climate funding to help vulnerable countries deal with loss and damage caused by climate change. It joined a small club of countries pledging loss and damage funding.
Think-tank IBON International, however, said these pledges are not new “but merely rebadged from developed countries’ existing climate finance commitments.”
“Developed countries must demonstrate their commitment by supporting the call for a dedicated loss and damage finance facility at COP27. This will help ensure sustained, predictable, grants-based assistance to those most affected by the overlapping climate, economic, and ecological crises,” it said.
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