NOTE: THIS PRESS RELEASE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.

“Without climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building from developed countries, our country will not be able to develop the capacity and technical know-how we need to avoid greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and we will not be able to survive the worsening impacts of climate change,” Cong. Edgar Chatto said in a privilege speech when Congress resumed on November 8.

Chatto, as chair of the House Committee on Climate Change, delivered a Privilege Speech on the 26th climate change Conference of the Parties or COP26 in Glasgow.

He pointed out important objectives that COP26 needed to achieve such as limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, which means global emissions must be cut in half by 2030 and reach ‘net-zero’ by 2050.

Among important goals of COP26, he stated are for countries to adapt to protect communities and natural habitats; mobilize finance; and to operationalize and accelerate action on the Paris agreement.

The Paris Rulebook is particularly important to the Philippines – the finalization of rules for Article 6 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which involves modalities and procedures for implementing cooperative approaches between developed and developing countries.

Climate change has brought about increased warming of air temperature, increased rainfall, increased intensity of tropical cyclones, and other extreme weather disturbances, causing millions in damage to the Philippines, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Chatto also called on the House to pass relevant laws that contribute to the achievement of global net-zero by 2050 to prevent the irreversible damage that a 2-degree rise in global temperature can do to the planet.

COP26 has been running overtime as it finalizes push to secure commitments that would rein in the rising temperatures that threaten the planet.