Pinoy-version Frankenstorms hit US, European countries Demand drastic GHG emissions cuts: cut it deep, cut it NOW!

Manila, Philippines – Climate justice advocates and frankenstorms Sandy, Habagat, Sendong and Ondoy, stormed the United States Embassy to demand deep green house gas emissions cut, today.

The 1000-strong group led by Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) marched towards the embassy and talked to an actor personifying 2nd term President Barack Obama, asserting the need to commit to address climate change issues.

Gerry Arances, PMCJ coordinator said: “The inaction of US, the EU and other developed countries should now stop. These top historical emitters should stop shutting their eyes and ears from the many climate-related disasters happening in different parts of the globe. These industrialized countries should step up and accept their historical responsibility on the climate crisis and commit to drastic emission cuts.

“Today, we want to show the developed countries that these climate disasters will affect all of us. In the Philippines, we experienced a lot already. US states experienced frankenstorm Sandy last October—these are climate-related disasters caused by the increasing climate change impacts,” Arances added.

GermanWatch’s Global Risk Index 2012 reported the Philippines as 10th most affected by climate-disasters from 1991-2010, together with small island states and other developing countries such as Bangladesh and Vietman.

The action today is PMCJ’s contribution to the Global Week of Action to Demand Climate Justice on November 12-18, that is a globally coordinated action to raise the urgency for climate justice before the climate negotiations during the Conference of Parties (COP 18) in Doha, Qatar.

The “Global Week of Action for Climate Justice”, organized by the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice, where PMCJ is a member of, is taking place in more than 25 countries and more than 50 cities across 5 continents (North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America).

Lidy Nacpil, Convenor of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) states – the global campaign to demand climate justice aims to force the US and President Obama to comply with its obligations and for them to stop serving as the biggest obstacle to international cliamte negotiations. Obama’s first term as US President did represent a change from this situation.

“Forward” was a key theme of his first campaigm. We say – live up to your own call – Forward on GHG emission cuts and climate finance on adaptation.

PMCJ, together with climate justice networks in other countries oppose false solutions to climate change and push for drastic actions to achieve a global temperature that will reduce the intensity and devastation of climate change in high risk states. Simultaneous actions to demand climate justice were also held in the cities of Davao, Cebu and Ozamis.

Manang Mary, a climate justice campaigner from Bulacan and a leader of Pagkakaisa Kilusan ng mga Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK) asserts, “Until today, we, women farmers are still bearing the brunt of the effects of typhoons Pepeng and Sendong, as well as the recent Habagat. For us Filipinos, this might be our last on having a safe home and a stable climate”.

Community leaders like Manang Mary are demanding also to the industrialized countries, led by the US, an immidiate contribution of sufficient climate funds for adaptation to countries like the Philippines, to be able to effectively adapt to the effects of climate change, like typhoons and droughts.

“We are already in a state of planetary emergency. Now is the time to begin and demand climate justice.” Nacpil concluded.

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About PMCJ:

The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) is a broad movement consisting of basic sectors, grassroots communities, the marginalized and most vulnerable, including women, indigenous peoples, fisher folk and coastal communities, farmers and rural communities, forest communities, formal and informal workers, environmental groups, urban poor, and others in the Philippines that aims to lead the joint struggles, campaigns and actions in putting forward the climate justice framework as a fundamental element of solving the climate crisis.

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