“The results were disappointing,” said Antonio G.M. La Viña, dean of the Ateneo de Manila University School of Government and a Philippine delegate to the 15th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen. “The goals were not ambitious at all.”
Nevertheless, as countries left the talks before any effective deal could be reached to arrest global warming, the Philippines did at least secure $310 million worth of funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy development which hopefully will actually get to the hands of those who can help.
The bulk of the funds, $250-million to be exact, will come from the Clean Technology Fund of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Another $50 million will come from the UN Global Environment Fund, and the final $10 million from Denmark to support local water utilities.