The United Nation’s climate talks opened up with some sobering remarks from the Philippines’ delegate. He vowed to fast in “solidarity” with his countrymen until a “meaningful outcome is in sight” for fighting global warming.
As the Philippines begins to take stock of the massive damage done by Typhoon Haiyan, the country’s delegate broke down in tears when talking about the fact that no international agreement was in sight to tackle global warming and prevent more extreme weather events from occurring.
“We can fix this. We can stop this madness. Right now, right here,” delegate Naderev Sano said as he broke down in tears. “In the last two days he has been gathering bodies of the dead with his own two hands.”
“In solidarity with my countrymen who are struggling to find food back home … I will now commence a voluntary fasting for the climate,” Sano added. “This means I will voluntarily refrain from eating food during this (conference) until a meaningful outcome is in sight.”
The talks are scheduled to last 12 days.
Typhoon Haiyan ripped through the island nation late last week, possibly killing more than 10,000 people, according to Philippine officials. Tacloban, the worst-hit city, resembled a “garbage dump” as very few structures remained standing after the storm blew through it.
“I don’t believe there is a single structure that is not destroyed or severely damaged in some way — every single building, every single house,” U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy.
The typhoon’s destruction overshadowed the beginnings of the United Nation’s climate talks and has garnered calls from officials for countries to pave the way for an international agreement to be hammered out in 2015.
“The recent very painful events of cyclone Haiyan… have reminded the countries gathered here… of the urgency of coming to a resolution of how all countries are going to collaborate with each other to address climate change in a timely manner,” said UN climate chief Christiana Figueres.
However, little is expected to come out of the Warsaw climate talks, as rich and poor countries still deeply disagree over how much should be given to less developed countries to prepare for the effects of global warming.
China recently demanded that richer nations give $100 billion to poorer countries in order to live up to the commitment made during the 2009 Copenhagen climate talks.
“Developed countries should inject funds into the Green Climate Fund as soon as possible to ensure developing countries receive financial support’, said Xie Zhenhua, deputy head of China’s National Development and Reform Commission.
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