President Duterte is concerned by the impact of the United States pullout from the Paris climate change agreement.
The President admitted that he was puzzled by US President Donald Trump’s decision to abandon the agreement as he raised concerns if other rich nations would honor the obligations for environmental action.
“I had my doubts if could we ever compel the other nations especially the big and powerful ones to also obey the commonality of our determination. True enough, the United States withdrew from the…I don’t know why,” Duterte said during the Asia-Pacific Healthy Islands Conference 2018 in Davao City.
“I have to fathom the reason or even the rationale or rationale of the withdrawal. Is it because it cannot work hand-in-hand with other nations or is it because Trump would like to do it alone?” he added.
With the US out of the accord, the President wondered who would be “strong enough to enforce” the pact restricting greenhouse gas emissions among world nations.
Duterte also asked about the “immediate consequence or result with the withdrawal of one and how would affect the others.”
“Can you now force or exact obedience from the other countries if the commission or the body itself that would govern try to control the carbon footprints in this planet is in disarray?” he asked.
He said developing nations should not be compelled to follow the carbon emission cuts if rich nations refuse to abide by their targets.
“Can we now call upon the other countries to say, ‘Look you lower down. Maybe it will greatly affect your GDP. But if you cannot do that, then do not impose on the other nations, the weaker ones, the percentages of carbon dioxide that one is allowed to swoop in the air. That was my misgiving in my delay to sign,’” he said.
Trump announced the US withdrawal from the Paris climate pact in June last year, saying the pact would have cost America trillions, killed jobs, and derailed industrial development. Trump, however, claimed he was still open to renegotiating the deal, which was agreed by nearly 200 countries. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)
