President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will reflect the Philippines’ priorities in climate-related agenda, as well as energy and food security when he joins other leaders in the 28th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 28), a foreign affairs official said Wednesday.
The President leaves Thursday morning for Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to join other leaders in the COP 28, meet with the Filipino community there, and engage in other side events.
In Palace press briefing, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa Almojuela said the President’s first program in Dubai will be meeting with the Filipino community. In the next two days, Marcos will be engaging other leaders in the COP 28, in which, he is expected to address the World Climate Action Summit.
Almojuela said the COP 28 presidency will review how far the world has gone as the international community in implementing the Paris Agreement.
“I think one of the priorities is also to setup the framework of the loss and damage fund as agreed in the last COP in Egypt,” she said.
“Also, high on the agenda is fast tracking the energy transition, delivering and enhancing climate finance, and of course, resilient food systems. I believe that the President’s engagements will reflect the priority that the Philippines attaches to all these thematic agenda of the conference.”
Almojuela said there will be a family photo of heads of state, and so far there are over 140 world leaders and royalties that have confirmed their attendance to the COP28.
There will also be a plenary—two simultaneous plenaries and President Marcos will be delivering the national statement in the plenary session and later attend a leaders’ session on transforming climate finance.
President Marcos will also have important bilateral meetings on the sidelines on the climate meeting, Almojuela said, adding that the DFA is finalizing a dozen of bilateral partners who have shown interest in meeting the President.
The President’s first activity on December 1 will be the opening of the Philippine pavilion and shortly after, he will be the keynote speaker in a side event that the Philippines is organizing together with the Kenyan government and the IOM director general.
“This side will be about the Philippines leading and pushing for a stronger global consensus on the nexus between climate change and migration,” Almojuela said.
The COP 28 will take place in Expo City Dubai from November 30 to December 12. Under UAE’s hosting, the event will build on previous successes paving the way for future ambition to effectively tackle the global challenge of climate change.
The biggest events will be the World Climate Action Summit and the engagements at the leaders’ level, according to Almojuela.
Negotiators will continue to hammer out outcomes event after the leaders’ participation, including for an outcome with respect to the loss and damage fund aimed at aiding vulnerable countries address the impact of climate change in addition to previously agreed climate financing.
The Philippine delegation will be composed of 237 registered onsite delegates representing 16 agencies and members of the civil society, many of them will be staying behind after the President has completed his program for the negotiation. PND
