Can human rights replace equity for the Philippines?

Mass Die-In for the Voices Ignored at COP 20 (Photo: Friends of the Earth International)

The Lima climate talks are dragging on this Saturday as expected. I started writing this to see how developing countries can find ways forward from the latest draft text, and yet coming from the Philippines, it is difficult for me to say that my extremely vulnerable country must compromise on finance and adaptation in the draft ADP text.

But I just watched in shock as one of our diplomats, Val Roque, told the world that we—or at least my delegation, as I am not sure whether I want to be associated with them myself right now—aligned with no bloc, and that while they regretted the lack of reference to loss and damage and human rights, they were willing to suck it up and accept the text as is.

Two days ago interviewed the delegation’s spokesperson, Tony La Viña, who said that while he was (of course) not willing to share our country’s list of non-negotiables, he said that our priorities in Lima are the inclusion of adaptation in the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, as well as financial, technological, and capability-building support for this; reasonable mitigation commitments which will not limit our ability to develop; and of course the new focus on human rights, which Dean Tony described as “nearly a red line for us in all parts of the text.”

Early on in the interview he stated that “developed countries must take the lead in terms of cutting emissions, in terms of support, etc., but we don’t have to belabor the obvious, right? I mean the point is, if you say it once, that’s enough.” Well they didn’t mention it now.

The decision may not need to explicitly state the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities; a colleague said countries can choose to revert to the reference to the Convention in the Durban decision as a way forward.

“We are victims, we are affected by climate change, it is in our interest that all countries reduce emissions, no exceptions, according to their ability and to some extent historical responsibility,” Dean Tony he then also said.

It is certainly not in our interests to accept the ADP deal as it is, especially not as the worsening climate has already claimed Filipino lives and threatens to claim even more.