EU top exec visits Manila to forge closer cooperation on climate action

MANILA, Philippines—European Union Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard will arrive in the Philippines Thursday to “press the case for closer” co-operation on climate action in a bid to curb “devastating climate-driven disasters.”

Hedegaard, who will be in the Philippines until Friday, will meet with Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario and the vice chair of the Philippine Climate Change Commission, Secretary Lucille Sering, the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines said in a statement Wednesday.

“It is my ambition to make the European Union and the Philippines partners in advancing the global climate change agenda,” said Hedegaard, the first European Union Commissioner to visit the Philippines in several years.

“The Philippines can count on Europe’s climate cooperation and ambition. We count on the Philippines to help us bring all other major economies on board of an ambitious future climate regime to be finalized in 2015,” she said.

Hedegaard underscored the need to address the urgent issue of climate change.

“There is no time to lose if we want to avoid that devastating climate-driven disasters become the new normal,” said Hedegaard, who travels straight from Palau where she has been consulting with some of the countries most vulnerable to climate change within the Pacific Island Forum.

Recognizing the central role of parliamentarians in advancing climate action around the world, Hedegaard is set to meet Senator Loren Legarda and other members of the Philippine Congress who are supporting climate action under the umbrella of “Globe Philippines”.

At the same time, the top EU official is scheduled to discuss EU-ADB co-operation on Climate action with the Director- General of the ADB regional and sustainable development Department Mr. S Chandler.

Hedegaard will also exchange views with several Philippine climate action advocacy groups and meet members of the local and foreign press.