France’s President, Francois Hollande, has used his first trip to the Philippines to appeal for more action on global warming. It comes ahead of
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France’s President, Francois Hollande, has used his first trip to the Philippines to appeal for more action on global warming.
It comes ahead of COP21, a major climate conference expected to take place in Paris in November.
Speaking at a gathering on the issue in Manilla, Hollande warned the current situation could lead to “wars and more disasters.”
“If the planet keeps warming up over the next decade this will bring about wars, it’s not just a matter of disasters but also that it could lead to wars and more disasters,” he said.
The two countries also signed joint accords on environmental protection, sustainable development and tourism cooperation.
The Philippine president described the agreements as vital for the planet’s future.
“We must not just deal with the aftereffects of climate change but with its primordial causes. In this light, we as a developing country, welcome the countries like France which have emerged as champions in global partnership to address this issue,” said Benigno Aquino.
A few Hollywood stars, such as Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons, have added glamour to the French government’s delegation.
On arrival the French actress spoke of the importance to drawn attention to the Philippines’ efforts to deal with the aftermaths of Typhoons Haguput and Haiyan over the last two years.
Typhoon Haiyan, known as Yolanda in the Philippines, was the country’s most powerful typhoon ever recorded over land.
It devastated much of central Philippines in November 2013, leaving more than 7,000 dead or missing and forced half a million people to flee from their homes.