The Philippines will continue to pursue just and equitable climate action in its multilateral engagements to build resilience and adapt to the changing weather, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said in an address in Australia on Monday.

Speaking at the Lowy Institute, President Marcos said the countries in the Indo-Pacific region cannot build resilience without addressing the threat posed by climate change.

“We will continue to pursue just and equitable climate action in all our multilateral engagements, including in the context of the Loss and Damage Fund Board. Developed countries have a responsibility to support vulnerable countries in climate adaptation and mitigation,” Marcos said in his keynote address.

“We will also continue to pursue our climate action strategy, a pillar of which is our robust commitment to a just energy transition,” he added.

The Philippines is a member of the “Loss and Damage” Board and vowed to advocate for the prioritization of addressing biodiversity destruction and species loss in climate-change vulnerable countries.

But he stressed that “developed countries have a responsibility to support vulnerable countries in climate adaptation and mitigation.”

He added that climate change is a deadly challenge that threatens the very survival of millions, especially those in the small island developing states in the Pacific, saying the Filipino people share this vulnerability.

“The Filipino people share this vulnerability with our kin in the Pacific Island States. For us, the time to talk about ifs and whens has long since passed, it is here and it is now. We expect responsible states and partners to do more and they must do that now,” he said. (PNA)