Assistant Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Mami Mizutori holds a press conference to present Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes at the United Nations offices in Geneva, on September 1, 2021. The United Nations warned that weather-related disasters have skyrocketed over the past half-century, causing far more damage even as better warning systems have meant fewer deaths. A report from the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) examined mortality and economic losses from weather, climate and water extremes between 1970 and 2019. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
A senior United Nations official has told President Marcos that the world body is ready to assist the Philippines financially in addressing the effects of climate change in the country, the Palace said on Sunday.
According to a Palace statement, Mr. Marcos last Friday met in Malacañang with UN Assistant Secretary General Mami Mizutori, head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), who expressed the UN’s “readiness to assist the Philippines in climate financing, noting the efforts of the President to mitigate the effects of climate change in the country.”
Mizutori said that the UNDRR lauds the President’s leadership “in combating climate risk and all other disaster risks posing [the] country.”
“I must say that because of your rather challenged situation, there is very strong [need] and under your leadership, [the] policy and structure in your government … by building resilience at the national level but also at the local level down to the barangays and the communities,” Mizutori said.
“[A]nd globally as well because, as you already mentioned, currently the climate emergency is really affecting all countries, but the Philippines is one of the countries that is most prone to disasters and other climate-related risks,” she added.
Mizutori also thanked the President for the Philippines’ acceptance of the invitation to host the biennial Asia-Pacific ministerial conference for disaster risk reduction in October next year, which she described as a “very important conference.”
“And I think the Philippines can share so much of the best practices that have come up from the challenges and so we are here to accompany your Excellency and the government in the journey for resilience. We believe, I truly believe, the Philippines is a great example,” she said.
At the meeting, the President welcomed in the Palace statement the UN’s offer for climate financing but also raised the difficulty of developing countries in accessing the financing for climate change.
“We are already in the middle of the effects of climate change. It’s time to get it done. But I’m glad that you’re here. As you can see immediately that this is very high on our priority,” Mr. Marcos told Mizutori.
“It is something that we really have to come to grips with. And I know that the UN certainly is providing some financing in terms of green and blue bonds,” he added, pointing out that the European Union and the United States also have such a scheme.
“So, and then there are many, many other requirements that we have to fulfill. And sometimes it seems that it is very difficult to actually qualify for some of these,” Mr. Marcos said. INQ