SEOUL, South Korea: Climate Change Commission Secretary Robert E.A. Borje and former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon highlighted the importance of partnerships in unlocking climate financing that will aid developing countries in climate change adaption and mitigation.
Secretary Borje met with Mr. Ban in Seoul, Republic of Korea as part of the former’s official visit to the country.
Ban is currently the President and Chair of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies.
In the meeting, Secretary Borje underscored the need to unlock climate financing for the developing world in order to support climate change action projects.
Secretary Borje also emphasised that countries like the Philippines have taken bold steps to address climate change and that the same should be demanded of developed nations, especially in the commitment to deliver on climate funding.
“The Philippines’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) is more ambitious now at 75 percent. While a lot of it is conditional, the rallying call has been climate justice: To the least responsible, to those with the least resources, to the most exposed and vulnerable, we need to do more.”
He expressed President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s view on climate issues, highlighting climate justice for vulnerable developing nations and the responsibility of developed nations to provide assistance.
President Duterte has pushed for climate change damage compensation to developing states and aggressive financial support by industrialized countries to mitigation and adaptation measures being carried out by developing nations.
“We want to reiterate, and we want to work on climate financing so that we can rationally use the limited resources that we have so we can pursue country development as well,” Secretary Borje told Ban.
In response, the former UN Secretary-General recognized the Philippines for its commitment to fighting climate change based on the Paris climate accord and for its principled positions on climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Ban said he is concerned with the delivered contributions of developed nations to climate financing when compared to promises made more than 10 years ago.
The world has to see climate change issue in a bigger picture, he said, stressing that if global warming is not addressed, conflicts could arise in areas with scarcity of resources for the people.
“I’m spending my time speaking with global leaders and community leaders to raise the level of ambition to fight climate change. Climate can spoil everything, our society and even relationships between people,” he said.
Both officials recognized the importance of Philippines-GGGI partnership through financing of practical and pragmatic climate action projects and green development initiatives in the Philippines.
Among the areas being considered is the development of solar energy projects in so-called last mile communities with the help of the private investors and corporations. PND
