Climate Science Funding For Phillipines On Hold After Germany Balks At 6,600 Dead In Drug War

Negotiations over a $36 million loan on climate change studies in the Philippines, one of the countries most at risk from the impacts of global warming, have bogged down as President Rodrigo Duterte lashes out against international scrutiny of his human rights record. The loan was committed by Germany, one of 18 countries on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that voted on July 11 to set up an investigation into killings linked to Duterte’s massive and long-running drug war that has claimed more than 6,600 lives.

Duterte slammed the resolution, saying on July 12 that “they don’t understand the social, economic, political problems of the Philippines.” He later welcomed the probe and ensured that visiting representatives would get to see the effects of narcotics on local communities.

On Sept. 20, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on a “confidential memorandum” signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and ordering cabinet and agency heads to terminate foreign loans and aid from the countries that backed the resolution.

Dated Aug. 27, 2019, the resolution reads: “In light of the administration’s strong rejection of the Resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which carried through by the votes of a minority of the Council members of 11 July 2019 and calls upon the Philippines to take certain actions in relation to alleged human rights violations in the country, all concerned officials are DIRECTED to suspend negotiations for and signing of all loan and grant agreements with the government of the countries that co-sponsored and/or voted in favor of the aforesaid resolution, pending the assessment of our relations with these countries.”

EDIT

https://news.mongabay.com/2019/10/philippines-freezes-climate-studies-loan-over-scrutiny-of-duterte-drug-war/