Unprecedented” and “unparalleled” are how some describe the significance of the historic COP21 climate deal recently clinched in Paris, to find global solutions to the devastating impacts of climate change. More than 190 nations, including the Philippines, pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and meet their targets to pave the way for a low-carbon future. It means in the long run saying goodbye to the love affair with coal, oil and other fossil fuels which are largely responsible for the climate crisis humanity has to deal with – and fast. It means a global commitment for a sustainable and decarbonized energy economy for our children’s future.
United States President Barack Obama, who was reported to be among the world leaders active in behind-the-scene negotiations among heads of state in pushing for it, said that the Paris agreement is the “the best chance we have to save the one planet we have.” He looks at it as “a turning point” for the world to take on the challenge of a low-carbon future.
The convention will be effective in 2020. As the text has not yet been released as of press time, from a news report, the salient points agreed upon are:
• To peak greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible and achieve a balance between sources and sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century
• To keep global temperature increase “well below” 2C (3.6F) and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5C
• To review progress every five years
• $100bn a year in climate finance for developing countries by 2020, with a commitment to further finance in the future. (https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35086346)
“The agreement . . . is meant to send a message to the markets and private sector that the world is transitioning from one powered by fossil fuels to a new world running on clean energy, meaning new technologies will need to be developed and new jobs created.” (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-hails-cop21-climate-agreement)
Ten years ago, this global agreement to address climate change seems to have been just a dream. The former US Vice President Al Gore’s book and 2006 film on the dangerously increasing greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change called “An Inconvenient Truth” helped stir a global awareness on the issue. He released a statement on the importance of the Paris agreement and said that “this universal and ambitious agreement sends a clear signal to governments, businesses, and investors everywhere: the transformation of our global economy from one fueled by dirty energy to one fueled by sustainable economic growth is now firmly and inevitably under way.”
Not that this will automatically reduce the greenhouse gas concentrations which are at its highest level. But certainly, the Paris pact gives hope for a greener tomorrow.
Of course, as expected not everyone is happy. Climate justice groups, religious sectors and environmental advocates hoped for an agreement that “would reflect binding commitments to limit global temperatures to below 1.5 degrees celsius from pre-industrial levels, climate finance for adaptation and mitigation funded by rich and industrialized countries at $100 billion from 2020 and net zero emissions from 2030 for rich countries and 2050 for the rest of the developing world.”
How does the Paris agreement impact the country and Cebu, in particular?
As we already have the legal framework for a sustainable and climate resilient development, the next best thing is for the no-nonsense implementation of our largely unimplemented environment and climate action laws. The laws on ecological solid waste management and clean air, if enforced, would bring down carbon pollution and protect the health and environmental rights of our people.
The local government units should already initiate the process of inviting the stakeholders to participate in planning and crafting the numerous plans required by national laws to be already in place. This action, by the way, can be compelled by a petition for a writ of continuing mandamus, as provided under the Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases, as a legal remedy.
There should be an audit on how funds reserved for disaster risk reduction and management are managed by local government units. How come many LGUs still don’t have the much-needed and mandatory climate change and DRRM plans, as road maps for climate response and resiliency?
I understand there were questions raised about the lawmakers who were sent as delegates to the Paris conference. While within the authority of the local chief executive, it makes more sense to invest tax payers’ money on those more knowledgeable about environmental management, clean energy and climate issues.
We must mainstream sustainability and climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in all the policies, projects and programs of both national and local governments. We cannot just wait for international climate financing to rescue us from disasters and impacts of climate change.
This would mean putting a halt to destructive coastal development projects such as reclamation which covers the fragile and inter-connected mangroves, corals and seagrass ecosystems.
There should already be a transparent inventory of our greenhouse gas which the environmental agency should initiate and coordinate with the local government units.
Most important of all, our citizens should be more vigorous in pushing key decision-makers to action. We cannot forever make them the scapegoats for the quality-of-life issues that must be surmounted now, not later.
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