STEP UP. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday (Sept. 5, 2023) encouraged his counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to entice developing countries to strengthen their commitment to climate action. This, he said, is needed since climate change has a big impact on countries’ progress. (Photo courtesy of PCO/PND)
PH | PBBM advocates for a greater commitment to climate action | MANILA –
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has asked the countries that are part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to push poor countries to be more serious about taking action on climate change.
During his speech at the 43rd ASEAN Summit plenary on Tuesday in Jakarta, Indonesia, he made the call. He said that “the most urgent threat to our progress is the effects of climate change.”
He told the leaders of ASEAN countries, “It is a looming reminder of the unfairness of having a disproportionate effect on our people.”
He said that during the next COP28, ASEAN “must ask developed countries to do more to live up to their promises.”
Among these promises are climate finance, the development and transfer of technology, and building capacity. All of these things “drive ASEAN’s abilities to prevent, reduce, manage, and adapt to the effects of climate change,” according to the declaration.
Marcos said that the Philippines, which is one of the countries most likely to be hit by disasters, will keep working with other countries to make the area more prepared for climate change and disasters.
“If we want to have food security, we need to work together to use the transformative power of our agricultural sector. This will make sure that food production is done in a way that is responsible and will help future generations,” he said.
“For our community-building attempts to keep working, we need to know what our strengths are. The Philippines will keep pushing for changes that will make our institutions stronger, help us make better decisions, and keep ASEAN as the centre of the region,” he said. (via PNA)
