Philippines to ratify climate pact, says Rodrigo Duterte

The Philippines would ratify a global pact aimed at taming climate change, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday, reversing his opposition to the historic United Nations agreement he had previously dubbed “crazy”.

In announcing the decision to sign up to the Paris Agreement, Mr Duterte said he still had misgivings but his cabinet members overwhelmingly disagreed with him.

“After so much debate, the climate change (agreement), I will sign it because it was a unanimous vote except for one or two (in cabinet),” ssaid Mr Duterte.

Philippines last year signed the pact with the rest of the world. The pact aims to cap global warming at well below two degrees Celsius, and 1.5 Celsius if possible, compared with pre-industrial levels.

However shortly after taking office on June 30, Mr Duterte criticised the commitments made by the administration of his predecessor Benigno Aquino. Those commitments were to cut emissions of the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming by 70 per cent by 2030 from 2000 levels, on condition that it got support from developed nations to convert to clean technologies.

When he railed in July against the Philippines' commitments, Mr Duterte said agreement would cripple developing countries.