Climate Change Commission pushing for unified ASEAN climate action
Residents of Tumana Village in Marikina deal with heavy flooding on July 24, 2024 as heavy rains brought about by the southwest monsoon and enhanced by Typhoon Carina continue to pour the whole day, flooding many parts of Metro Manila. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News MANILA — The Climate Change Commission is pushing for a unified ASEAN climate action amid threats posed by climate change.
CCC Commissioner Albert dela Cruz said Southeast Asia remains one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change, and countries must coordinate their response to help their citizens.
“At the midst of climate change, we don’t want only to survive, but most especially to thrive,” Dela Cruz said.
Among the things they are pushing for is a unified carbon market.
“Tayo ay may kakayahang maglinis ng hangin. Dahil dito, ang mayayamang bansa ay kailangang sila ay magbayad at bumili ng ating kakayahan na iyan in a form of carbon market,” Dela Cruz said.
“Ngayon, kung ang sampung bansa sa ASEAN ay magkaroon ng unified carbon market, magkaroon ng unified pricing at magkaroon ng unified platform, magkakaroon tayo ng tinatawag nating bargaining power,” he added.
Dela Cruz said Southeast Asian countries emit little carbon but receive all the climate abnormalities.
“Kasi kapag fragmented ang market, hindi nagkakaroon ng ugnay-ugnay, ang buyer ang magse-set ng price tag, which is happening now,” he said.
“What we want to happen, since we own the biodiversity, we own the tropical rainforest we should be the one, the ASEAN carbon market unified platform, should be the one to set the price and the parameters on how to deal with it,” he added.