‘RP doing share vs global warming threat’

MANILA, Philippines – Global warming is slowly pushing the world to the brink of destruction but the Philippines is doing its share to lessen the impact, according to Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change (PAGWCC) Heherson Alvarez.

“The Philippines is spearheading a drive to mitigate climate change and is pushing hard for significant reduction of carbon emission. Our position, calling for deep, early and significant emission reductions by developed countries of at least 30 percent of 1990 levels by 2017 and 50 percent by 2022, will moderate the aggressive escalation of typhoons,” the former senator said during a visit to The STAR.

Although the Philippines ranks relatively low among carbon dioxide (CO2) emitting countries, it was the first to call for an international conference on the matter because “we are most vulnerable to climate change.”

“Our position to avert creeping climate change was borne out of the country’s historic experience as an archipelagic low-lying country visited by at least 20 typhoons each year, an experience shared by other countries, especially in the ASEAN region,” he said.

Alvarez, in various conferences on climate change, pushed to make deep and early cuts in CO2 emissions by 2020 or before the tipping point of irreversible climate change is reached by 2050.

At the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held last June in Bonn, Germany, the Philippines sought to clarify how much industrialized countries will reduce their carbon emissions by 2020; what major developing countries will do to limit the growth of their respective carbon emissions; to identify stable and predictable financing mechanisms for mitigation and adaptation from industrialized countries; and to establish an equitable governance structure to be agreed on at a later conference.

“Over the long term, if we cut moderately, we may be able to manage creeping climate change. However, the extremely vulnerable and poor countries, like us, will not be spared if we don’t deploy deep, significant and early cuts of carbon emission within half a decade,” the former lawmaker said.

He said his worry stemmed from the fact that the country is now experiencing typhoons closer to 180 kph, as compared to those in earlier years.

“If we reach the 220 kph type of weather disturbance, and you have at least 20 typhoons visiting the country every year, where would that put us? This is really a disturbing prospect,” said Alvarez.

“There had been talks that if this uncontrolled emission would continue, it is possible that a four-mile high glacier in Greenland will melt, submerging 40 percent of the total land area of low-lying countries like the Philippines,” he added.

Waiting for the biggies

But painting a harried picture and drum-beating its ill effects is one thing; convincing the big industrial countries to limit their emissions is another.

“Industrial countries like America emit too much carbon in the air during winter to create heat. They emit too much carbon during summer to cool down. They have big factories. They have plenty of cars. At the end of the day it boils down to their commitment. Good thing, however, is that the United States is committed to position themselves in the middle of this problem,” Alvarez said.

The Obama adminis-tration’s chief climate negotiator, Todd Stern, offered broad hints of a new international climate policy, noting that more details would be submitted in a proposal to the United Nations.

Under this proposal, the United States would require all countries, including developing nations like China and India, to curb greenhouse emissions. The main focus is on long-range goals – as distant as 2050 — for greenhouse gas reduction.

Under the Bush administration, the United States never accepted binding commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions — a policy that President Barack Obama promised to overturn. During his campaign, Obama proposed that the United States should reduce emissions to the 1990 levels by 2020, and reduce levels progressively to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

At the time, many environmental groups regarded the 2020 target as inadequate.

The European Union has proposed reductions of between 25 and 40 percent compared to 1990 levels by 2020. China, South Africa and the Philippines floated plans that would require developed countries to reduce emissions by up to 50 percent by 2020.

Jonathan Pershing, US deputy special envoy for climate change, dismissed such proposals as a “negotiating gambit.”

Pushing the right buttons

But Alvarez is unperturbed.

“If we keep on pushing the right buttons, maybe we can hit the right notes. It is not enough that we avert global warming. We must address its early destructive consequences that can leave 40 percent of humanity wasted and impoverished. We must moderate the destructive impacts of escalating typhoons with deep, early and significant emission cuts. In this, developed countries must take the lead,” he said.

Next week, Alvarez will meet with his US counterpart Stern in the US to discuss specific programs that would keep the two countries in step with their respective climate change plans.

Among the terms Alvarez wants discussed is transfer of technology, which could give a long-term benefit to the country.

“This is not business in the sense that we’re asking for technology to acquire profit. We’re looking at this as a chance to enhance our capacity to combat the ever-growing problem of climate change with the new technology that they can offer. In short, we buy the technology at a minimum cost but with the maximum benefit to us. They sell it at a low cost and they do their share. It augurs well for everyone,” he said.

He said the holistic, total settlement of the issue would spare humanity from climate change and the negotiations, hopefully, will not only be for the advantage of one sector.

“A long-term solution and an early substantial financial investment to cut emissions could mean lesser cost in the management of climate change in the long run. Even smaller countries like the Philippines need not hesitate to take a clear position so that in the long term, we contribute to foster global climate justice. It will cost less to avert climate change,” he said.

Floated as one of the administration’s leading senatorial candidates in the 2010 elections, Alvarez said his advocacy will not be affected if he seeks a Senate seat, but he will decide later if he is officially tapped by the party.

“I think I’m doing good now with what I’m doing as a cabinet member, but who knows. Maybe I can be more useful back at the Senate,” he said. –Rey Galupo (philstar.com)