Legarda Looks Forward to Strengthened PHL-French Climate Cooperation with French President’s Visit

Senator Loren Legarda today said that the state visit of French President Francois Hollande to the Philippines would pave the way for a strong partnership on climate action between the two nations.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, said that the issue of climate change is a priority agenda during the visit of Hollande from February 26-27, 2015. A forum on climate change and the launch of a joint statement on climate action are among the highlights of the visit of Hollande, the first incumbent French president to do a state visit to the country since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1947.

“With climate change as a top agenda in the visit of President Hollande, we are more confident that more nations would see the relevance of industrialized nations and vulnerable nations working together towards strengthened climate action,” she said.

The Senator explained that the Philippines and France are key players in the global climate action—France being the host of the 21st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change or COP 21 and the Philippines as a nation that is among the most vulnerable to climate change and its impacts.

“France is moving towards a green economy and sustainable development, while the Philippines has been building the resilience of its communities. France and the Philippines, together, will model the way to climate action and climate resilience,” Legarda stressed.

She added that France as host of the COP 21 has a crucial role in ensuring that it will be more than just the usual climate talks as it should compel nations to carry out urgent climate action.

“We look forward to this climate partnership between our two nations and I am sure that the Philippine Government will give its full support to the French Government in making the best out of COP 21 and ensuring that all nations involved would sign an ambitious and legally binding agreement to cut down greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming below 2°C,” she said.

During his state visit, the French President will formally open a forum titled, “Towards COP 21: The civil society mobilized for the climate”, where Legarda will speak about “the consequences of inaction”.

Among the members of the French President’s delegation are Mr. Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Ms. Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).