Human Rights Online Philippines

DEMAND CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW!

Join the Global Week of Action for Climate Justice. Join the mobilization on November 14! 

Philippines: In the eye of a planetary storm

Eleven months after one of the most devastating typhoon hit the country, Cagayan de Oro and Iligan residents still bear the scar of those dreadful days. Typhoon Sendong ravaged the northern regions of Mindanao in 2011 and left 1, 257 people dead.

The monsoon rains in the first week of August of 2012 turned out to be more than what Filipinos are used to. Due to the intensity and devastation of the rains ushered in by the southsouthwest winds called habagat, to most of Greater Manila residents, habagat is now associated with the horrifying calamity that brought floods and destruction similar to that of Typhoon Ondoy in 2009 which at that time was thought to be a rare phenomenon.

Typhoons Ondoy (2009), Peping (2009), Sendong (2011) and Habagat in 2012 which was not even technically a typhoon – are far becoming almost ‘normal’ occurrences for Filipinos because of climate change.

The Philippines is in the eye of a planetary storm, and it is called climate change.

• Many studies internationally show that the country is one of the most vulnerable when it comes to exposure and responding to severe weather caused by climate change.

• Aside from increase of numbers and intensity of storms visiting the country, drought is also increasing. In 2010, 16 provinces declared state of calamity due to extreme drought.

• A one meter rise in the sea level would mean a loss of 89,800 hectares according to Manila observatory. Based on other studies this would mean affecting 64 out of 81 provinces covering at least 703 out of 1,610 municipalities, which could potentially
displacing at least 1.5 million Filipinos.

• In the past years, there has been a steady rise of incidents of diseases such as leptospirosis, dengue and malaria. Studies show that there is a direct correlation between climate change and increase of incidents of these diseases.

• Climate change affects the country’s food security and self-sufficiency. As warming will be worst in Mindanao, the supposedly country’s food basket will be greatly affected.

The increase in rainfall in Luzon, which usually results in massive flooding have been detrimental to rice production, where 60% of national irrigated rice production is located.

The Earth’s climate is destabilizing and the planet is in crisis Philippine experience is not isolated case. It is indicative of what has been happening in the global scale.

• Scientists predict that about 625,000 people will die each year from now until 2020 by causes driven by climate change.

• Many mountain glaciers, which act as source of water for millions of people, have significantly

• retreated. Changes in rain-fall patterns, due to climate change, are causing even greater waterstress particularly in Western Africa and South Asia.

• There is 80% less Arctic-sea ice today than in 1950. The melting of ice causes sea-level rise,

• threatening 600 million people living less than 10 metres above sea-level and coastal cities such as Mumbai, Shanghai, Manila, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Istanbul and 7 more of the world’s 20 biggest cities.

• The increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is causing ocean acidification. Some oceans are now 30% more acidic than normal, harming ocean habitats like coral reefs and destroying fish stocks. Increased ocean temperature also reduces growth-size
of fish. At least 1 billion people rely on fish for food and livelihoods.

• Crop-yields are diminishing. It is also estimated that climate-related food price hikes since 2005 have pushed more than 105 million people into poverty.

Those responsible to the climate are the industrialized countries, led by the United States of America (USA) and most countries that compose the European Union (EU), particularly their elites, transnational corporations and governments of these countries. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – ratified by more than 195 countries – states that industrialized countries are the one responsible for the historical, accumulated and continuing excessive greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. These countries are legally bound to radically cut their greenhouse gas (GHG) and provide developing countries with funds, like the Philippines, to enable them to deal with the effects of climate change.

But since the adopting the Climate Convention – the rich countries have not been fulfilling their obligations and now, led by the US, they are trying to turn their back on their commitments.

There is very little time left to prevent climate change from reaching catastrophic proportions not only for the Philippines but for the entire planet!

Mobilize for the planetary emergency and fight for climate justice!

We reiterate the call of the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice which the Philippine
Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) is a part of —

Addressing the climate crisis requires profound social transformation in all countries and at all levels – local, national and global. It requires a rapid shift to systems of production and consumption that are compatible with the limits of the planet and aimed at meeting the needs of people rather than the relentless pursuit of profit. It requires immediate action by those responsible for climate change to make deep cuts in their greenhouse gas emissions and to stop false solutions such as offsets and carbon trading, and to mobilize finance and technology for peoples and countries most affected by climate change.

These will not happen without massive mobilization of people everywhere south and north. What we have done thus far have fallen short of overcoming the persistent refusal by powerful elites, corporations and governments to meet their responsibility and obligations and their efforts to stand in the way of social change.

We need to step up our efforts to build and exercise the power of collective action, in different forms at various fronts and arenas, at a scale never seen before. We need to build our capacity for globally coordinated mobilizations during critical political moments –progressively increasing the number of people mobilized, expanding the numbers of countries and cities participating, raising the scale, intensity and boldness of our actions, developing our strength and power to prevent planetary catastrophe.

Let us begin now!

Join the mobilization on November 14 – Assembly at 9:00am Bonifacio shrine in front of LRT
Central Station near Manila City hall; March to the US Embassy via Kalaw Street.
• Climate justice now!
• Deep emission cuts by US and EU and others responsible for the climate crisis!
• Deliver climate finance for affected peoples and communities!
• No more evasion, no more deception, no more false solutions!
• System change not climate change!

Our demand:
• Deep and drastic emissions reductions by rich industrialized countries without offsets -– in fulfilment of their legally binding commitments and in line with their fair share of the global carbon budget that takes into account historical per capita emissions
• Stopping the pursuit of false solutions such as carbon trading, market-based approaches to forests, soil and water, large-scale geo-engineering and techno-fixes, nuclear energy, mega hydro dams, agro-fuels, “clean coal”;
• Delivery of adequate and appropriate climate finance on the basis of rich, industrialized countries’ responsibility for climate change and their corresponding obligation to cover the full costs of enabling peoples of developing countries and other affected
communities to deal with the impacts of climate
• Appropriate technology transfers without intellectual property barriers. Developed countries must ensure free sharing of safe, appropriate and ecologically and socially sound technologies;
• Decisive steps towards the profound transformation of the system based on equity, science and the rights of peoples to live well in harmony with and respect for Mother Earth — Transformation of social and economic structures and technologies and reorient
policies to move away from profit-driven, growth oriented, high-carbon, elitedominated exploitative systems; Just transition to people-driven, equitable, and democratic post carbon sustainable development

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