Environmental groups launch 12-day campaign for climate change justice

Environmental groups on Monday launched a 12-day campaign asking the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other concerned government agencies to make genuine moves to address the adverse impacts of climate.

The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) said in a press conference at the Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC) in Quezon City that the “Depensahan, Taumbayan at Kalikasan” series of coordinated people's actions is appealing for climate change justice.

PMCJ officials said the activities are to be conducted in key cities and provinces nationwide and will run throughout the 12-day 16th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC/COP 16) in Cancun, Mexico from Nov. 29 to Dec. 10.

The moves aim to provide venue and opportunities for the people, the most vulnerable communities and sectors to raise their demands for immediate survival against the adverse impacts of climate change, which are hardly heard and addressed genuinely by those accountable for the climate crisis –- the wealthiest, overly-consuming nations and the government.

PMCJ said it considers the situation of the Philippines, being one of the most vulnerable, as already a matter of urgent survival for many of its communities, natural resources and ecosystems, and economy.

This requires defending the rights of the marginalized communities and sectors, the indigenous peoples, and the women who are among the most vulnerable.

Some of the people’s urgent demands revolve around the same critical issues that are to be tabled at the Cancun climate negotiations.

During the Cancun talks, the 192-member states will define the direction of the agreements on the very critical issue of climate finance, reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) and other financing/flexibility mechanisms.

In a brief presentation of Milo Tanchuling, secretary-general of the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) and lead convener of PMCJ, he mentioned what is likely to happen in the UNFCCC/COP 16 negotiations and the possible implications of its results on the issues of climate finance and flexibility mechanisms.

Posted in: 12-Day Campaign for Climate Change Justice