Ambassador of the Philippines to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez
Romualdez cites importance of US, ASEAN cooperation vs climate change
PHILIPPINE Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez underscored the importance of cooperation between the United States and the country members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to address climate change stressing this has worsened with the vulnerability of the region to natural disasters.
Romualdez chaired a meeting between the ASEAN Committee in Washington D.C. (ACW) and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry where they discussed how the region can significantly contribute to global efforts to address climate change.
The Philippines currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the ACW.
Romualdez highlighted that “countries in Southeast Asia remains vulnerable to natural disasters that have been exacerbated by the climate crisis” adding that “cooperation between the United States and the region is key in ensuring that ASEAN countries meet their respective targets.”
For his part, Kerry stressed that climate change is real and its consequences will affect all countries, and is in fact already being felt in many parts of the world.
Based on the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of 191 countries under the Paris Agreement, carbon emissions will still increase by 19 percent.
Hence, he stressed that more ambitious goals are needed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Kerry further said that the ASEAN region could play a role in addressing the challenges brought by climate change.
