Loren: RP can tap 'climate justice' fund

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Loren Legarda stressed yesterday that countries most affected by climate change like the Philippines have every right to tap into a “climate justice fund” which industrialized nations led by the United States (US) are being asked to put up.

Legarda issued the statement in reaction to a recent interview by cable television network Al-Jazeera at the height of the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen.

The senator expressed no opposition to the “transparency” being sought by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the utilization of the said fund, specifically of the $100 billion pledged by the US as aid to countries affected by climate change.

“There should be transparency to ensure that the money goes to the intended beneficiaries and that it is used for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction,” said Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change.

Legarda also serves as the UN champion for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in the Asia-Pacific Region.

“I seek climate justice not only for the Philippines but for all the people, especially in Africa and Southeast Asia, who bear the brunt of the sufferings, hunger and poverty brought about by climate change,” she added.

“But issues like transparency should not be used by countries like the US and China to delay the setting up of a climate change adaptation fund. The effects of climate change are being felt right now, thus support must come in today and not tomorrow,” Legarda said.

Meantime, President Arroyo has successfully pressed the case of the Philippines in the overall climate change situation before world leaders in the recently concluded Conference of Parties 15 (COP-15) in Copenhagen.

This was the report of Climate Change Commission vice chair and chief climate negotiator Secretary Heherson Alvarez, who arrived Monday from the capital city of Denmark where the crucial climate summit was held from Dec. 7-18.

Alvarez said that of the 120 heads of state who attended the conference, only President Arroyo stood up to bare the devastation, death and losses that the nation suffered from tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng.”

“She successfully made our case, and for that, the President clearly laid the ground for the urgency for adaptation funding for vulnerable developing countries like the Philippines,” Alvarez stressed.

According to Alvarez, the Copenhagen accord fulfilled President Arroyo’s two-tracked purpose for attending the COP-15 climate change summit.          – With Katherine Adraneda