ROMULO: INFORMATION SHARING AND EXPERIENCE EXCHANGE CRUCIAL 

IN ADVANCING GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AGENDA

06 September 2007 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA—Stressing the need for information sharing and experience exchange to move forward the global climate change agenda, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo rallied Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members to intensify cooperation and to expand domestic programs that address climate change.

Secretary Romulo pointed out that “With its sweeping implications on global sustainable development, stability and security, climate change is a major issue that APEC cannot ignore,” Romulo told the media after the APEC Breakfast Meeting of Foreign Ministers here.

“We support international climate change cooperation based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities,” emphasized Secretary Romulo during the Meeting.

“We fully agree that the way ahead calls for flexibility, recognition of national circumstances, and fair burden sharing.  In the end, all must do more to manage climate change for the sake of our common global future,” Secretary Romulo stressed in the Meeting.

Secretary Romulo explained that as nations proceeded to strengthen their climate change programs, sharing of information and experience with regional and international partners, particularly on “new technologies and better policies to strengthen not just mitigation but also adaptation” had to be undertaken.

Secretary Romulo stressed that under the UN Framework for Climate Change Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, the Philippines had already implemented and sustained key programs such as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

The Kyoto Protocol’s CDM allows developing economies like the Philippines to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions through private sector initiatives.

To date, this market-based mechanism has generated 28 projects in the Philippines , accounting for more than 1.5 million tons per year of emission reduction credits registered in the country. 

National programs, however, have to be pursued alongside intensified regional and international efforts to address climate change, said Secretary Romulo during the Meeting.

In the meeting, Secretary Romulo expressed the Philippines ’ support for the United States ’ and Japan ’s proposal that “all major emitters should be part of the regional and global effort.

He also conveyed Philippine support for Japan ’s “Cool Earth 50” proposal as a long-term strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half from their current level by 2050 and to develop innovative technologies for building a “low carbon” society.

“We should, however, acknowledge the reality that many important quarters entertain doubt about the more extreme climate change scenarios, and that even among those who see this as a problem, there are different views,” Secretary Romulo said.

Secretary Romulo took note, in particular, of Singapore ’s emphasis on the need to “assess the total impact of our actions by citing, for example, that biofuels may not always yield green solutions.”

Underscoring the importance of expanding international cooperation on carbon sinks, Secretary Romulo pointed out the idea should embrace not only forests but also oceans.

“The center of the Asia Pacific region is a vast ocean with immense potentials for climate change applications that should be protected and tapped.  We should focus on forests and oceans as well, as carbon sinks,” Secretary Romulo said.

“The Philippines supports the need for sustainable management of forests and oceans, as well as other terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems,” said Secretary Romulo during the meeting. END

/esgret

(Home)