DOHA, Qatar (AP) — A delegate from typhoon-hit Philippines demanded today that ministers at the United Nations climate talks put aside their political differences and take bold steps to combat global warming.
In an emotional appeal, Naderev Sano spoke of the “heartbreaking tragedy” of Typhoon Bopha, which has so far killed more than 350 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless, and urged participants at the U.N. climate conference in the Qatari capital to stop procrastinating on committing to halting the dangerous trend.
“As we vacillate and procrastinate here, we are suffering. There is massive and widespread devastation back home,” Sano said. “Heartbreaking tragedies like this are not unique to the Philippines.”
Sano’s appeal was the starkest since the talks began nearly two weeks ago in Doha and the latest to connect increasing and more deadly storms such as Hurricane Sandy and climate change.
Climate scientists say it’s difficult to link a single weather event to global warming but some say the damage caused by Sandy and other tropical storms was worse because of rising sea levels.
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