Amid terror threats, PH team heads for Paris climate change meet

Amid terror threats, the Philippine delegation heads for Paris this weekend for crucial climate change negotiations, boosted by President Aquino’s presence at the high-level summit of world leaders at the United Nations conference.

“I feel safe,” said climate change commissioner Emmanuel de Guzman, who heads the Philippine negotiating team composed of some 50 representatives from government, the private sector and civil society organizations.

Mr. Aquino will be joining more than 100 other heads of state and government at the 21st Conference of Parties where he will participate in the campaign for the passage of a binding agreement among nations that they would each do their part in reducing their carbon emissions and keep global temperature below pre-Industrial Revolution levels.

Scientists have said that changing weather patterns and stronger typhoons, among others, are the results of a warmer world.

De Guzman said the Filipinos going to Paris are “fully prepared to negotiate and also fully prepared to deal with any emergencies for any possible scenario that may arise.”

He said the team has a contingency plan that includes identified areas for convergence in case of an emergency.

De Guzman said there was never any talk of postponing the summit after the Nov. 13 attack in Paris where extremists belonging to the Islamic State killed more than 100 people.

“No, I talked to [French Ambassador Thierry Mathou]. He said this is the safest time now in Paris,” he said.  Nikko Dizon