France's Hollande in Philippines for climate push

President Francois Hollande arrived in the Philippines on Feb. 26, accompanied by two of France's leading actresses, to promote the fight against climate change ahead of a crucial summit of world leaders.
      
The two-day trip, the first by a French president to the Philippines, is part of Hollande's campaign to build diplomatic momentum ahead of the United Nations event that France will host in December.         Hollande says he is determined to "leave a mark" on history by brokering an historic agreement to contain climate change that would make up for the failure to reach such an accord in Copenhagen in 2009.
      
The Philippines is seen as a frontline state in the battle against climate change, having been battered by relentless storms in recent years that have emerged from the Pacific Ocean and claimed many thousands of lives.
      
These included Super Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest storm ever recorded on land, which left more than 7,350 people dead or missing in November 2013 and which scientists have linked to climate change.
     
 Hollande will meet with Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Thursday evening, when they are expected to jointly call on world leaders to ensure that the Paris climate summit is a success.
      
The goal of the planned Paris pact, which must enter into force by 2020, is to limit warming to two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-Industrial Revolution levels.
      
Scientists warn that on current trends, Earth is on track for double that, or more -- a recipe for catastrophic droughts, fiercer storms like Haiyan, and other extreme weather events.
      
However most followers of the UN climate change diplomatic process are sceptical a pact can be...