COP31: What the Philippines wants for the ocean
Among the Philippine delegation's calls at COP31 is 'stopping further offshore fossil fuel expansion'
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine delegation at the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey, brings an ocean agenda consistent with the demands of neighboring Pacific island nations and civil society.
Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna, who heads the Philippine delegation in Turkey, said they expect this year’s conference to become “a true COP of implementation focused on actual results rather than unfulfilled roadmaps.”
“The Philippines calls for urgent climate finance disbursements for adaptation alongside rapid response policies for loss and damage,” Cuna said in a message sent to Rappler on Monday, November 9.
The delegation considers these agenda items as “nonnegotiable priorities”: the adoption of the Antalya Ocean Declaration, the creation of permanent ocean-related agenda items across the UN climate process, stronger commitments from rich nations, and dedicated financing for ocean and coastal communities.
These are strong calls, consistent with the Pacific region. These are countries facing the same climate threats of rising sea levels and the devastating impact of ocean warming on marine life.
The Philippines “urged developed countries to take the lead in ocean-based mitigation by establishing binding offshore wind targets, launching green maritime corridors, and stopping further offshore fossil fuel expansion,” said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ statement sent to Rappler.
Moreover, the Philippines “stressed the need” to create “ocean funding windows under the Green Climate Fund, GEF-9, and the loss and damage fund.”
‘Philippines should be at the forefront’
The Philippines, home to the richest marine biodiversity in the world, needs to be at the forefront of prioritizing ocean solutions in its national climate plan, said Martha Vergara, deputy head for oceans and climate at the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED).
One of CEED’s campaigns is its opposition to liquefied natural gas facilities that crowd in the Verde Island Passage.
“Gas infrastructure and oil and gas exploration are being pushed into the very waters that feed our communities, while a very strong El Niño is projected to strain water and food supplies,” Vergara said in a statement Tuesday, November 10.
A resounding call at this climate summit is the need to translate declarations and commitments into actions felt on the ground.
This is not new. In fact, the climate summit held in Brazil in 2025 was billed as “Implementation COP.”
“For COP31 to truly be a Blue COP, global leaders must not stop at honoring the ocean in pledges and declarations,” said Vergara. “They need to deliver the resources to realize the protection of our seas in a high-integrity manner.”
The blue wave at COP31
On the first day of COP31, Pacific envoys underlined the ocean agenda and their desire for this summit to be remembered as the “Blue COP.”
Three Pacific COP31 envoys were appointed to reflect the ocean and climate priorities of the Pacific island nations: Tina Stege from the Marshall Islands, Ruel Yamuna from Papua New Guinea, and Inia Seruiratu from Fiji.
Stege urged world leaders to show “political will and urgency” to keep 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach.
“It means delivering predictable and accessible climate finance while increasing investment in ocean and forest stewardship, climate resilience, and sustainable blue economies,” Stege said in a press conference on Monday.
“The Pacific helped secure the inclusion of 1.5 degrees Celsius under the Paris Agreement,” she added. “And 10 years later, we remain steadfast in our commitment to that goal.” – Rappler.com
This story was produced as part of the COP31 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organized by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network, Informed Earth, and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.
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