|
MANILA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday his administration will not honor international agreements which bind the country to limit its greenhouse emissions.
Duterte believed that wealthy countries were "trying to stymie us with an agreement," which provides certain greenhouse gas emissions need to be maintained even by small nations, like the Philippines.
The president made the remarks during a sendoff ceremony for Filipino athletes who will compete in the Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 5-21.
He recalled that an ambassador, whom he did not name, reminded him about the commitment made by the Philippines to lessen emissions and the carbon footprints.
But he told the ambassador: "You who have reached your apex and along the way spewed a lot of contaminants and emissions and went ahead in destroying the climate, good for you."
"We are here, we have not reached the age of industrialization. We are going into it. But you are trying to stymie us with an agreement (telling us) that 'you will maintain the present emission.' I said, 'that's stupid'," he stressed.
Duterte said he will not honor the agreement, whose signature was not his but "somebody else's."
The Philippines under former President Benigno S. Aquino III made a commitment last year that it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent by 2030 in solidarity with other nations that will provide support in terms of finance, technology and capacity building.
The new government has asserted that the Philippines can not ditch coal as one of the energy sources for the country's electricity requirements.
The Philippine government has just approved 29 more coal-fired plants on top of the 17 already existing in the country. Enditem
