Legarda: Lives, livelihoods of Filipinos at stake in upcoming COP26

Three-term Senator Loren Legarda emphasized the importance of the upcoming talks at the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in securing the lives and livelihoods of Filipinos amidst the intensifying climate crisis.

“COP26—if it delivers—can help secure the lives and livelihoods of Filipinos today and in the future as we continue to deal with the consequences of global warming. Many climate vulnerable countries like ours are anxiously waiting for its results,” Legarda said.

Almost 200 nations and territories will finally gather in person in Glasgow, Scotland for 12 days of global climate action talks and negotiation from October 31 to November 12, after the COP was postponed last year because of the pandemic.

Hosted by the United Kingdom in partnership with Italy, COP26 will center on four key themes: securing global net-zero by mid-century and keeping 1.5˚Celsius within reach; urgent adaptation to protect communities and natural habitats; mobilizing finance; and working together to deliver the means of implementation to the Paris Agreement: climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building from developed countries to developing ones.

This year’s summit has been touted as a critical meet given the need for immediate action to prevent the average global temperature from going beyond 1.5˚C and avert the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. 2021 has also been described by scientists as humanity’s “last best chance” to reduce emissions enough to keep the planet below 1.5˚C.

“This is a make-or-break point for all nations to get their act together and agree on how to effectively implement the Paris Agreement, which is meant to limit global warming and ramp up our ability to adapt to worsening climate risks. Our hope is that COP26 will bring major progress on those fronts,” Legarda concluded. ###