Madrid, Spain \u2014 Today, on the sidelines of COP 25 in Madrid, the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHR), represented by Commissioner Roberto Cadiz, announced that the 47 investor-owned corporations, including Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Repsol, Sasol, and Total, could be found legally and morally liable for human rights harms to Filipinos resulting from climate change. [1] [2] In its groundbreaking investigation, the CHR also found the relevant criminal intent may exist to hold companies accountable under civil and criminal laws, in light of certain circumstances involving obstruction, willful obfuscation and climate denial.<\/p>\n\n
The\nCHR has concluded that people affected by climate change and whose human rights\nhave been dramatically harmed must have access to remedies and access to\njustice. Simply put, big polluters and other corporations have the\nresponsibilities to protect human rights as we face the climate emergency.<\/p>\n\n
Greenpeace\nSoutheast Asia Executive Director Yeb Sa\u00f1o said:<\/p>\n\n
\u201cWe\napplaud the statement of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines.\nThis is a historic moment for people and the planet, and a landmark victory for\nclimate justice.<\/p>\n\n
Today\nmarks the beginning of the end to the fossil fuel industry\u2019s stranglehold over\nour political systems. For the first time ever, big polluting companies have\nbeen found responsible for human rights harms resulting from the climate\ncrisis. A growing number of climate cases are now being heard or filed across\nthe world\u2014and with the conclusion of this investigation, we believe many more\ncommunities will take a stand against fossil fuel companies that are putting\nprofit before people.<\/p>\n\n
The\nworld is waking up to the fact that fossil fuel industry knowingly imperiled\nthe safety and security of millions of people around the world for their own\nshort term interests. It is an industry composed of the world\u2019s largest and\nrichest companies who rake in profits, while the poorest and most vulnerable\ncommunities reel from super typhoons and droughts made worse by climate change,\nand suffer from loss of lives and livelihoods in a world degraded by the\nimpacts.<\/p>\n\n
This\nis a vindication of the struggle of communities in the frontlines who are\nleading the movement to demand climate justice. We are calling on people all\nover the world to support the call for justice and hold governments and\ncorporations accountable in order to accelerate a just transition to renewable\nenergy and avert the worst impacts of climate change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
The CHR\u2019s announcement coincides with the start of the second week of the UN Climate negotiations, COP25.[3] The energy for change visible on the streets has not translated so far into energy at the negotiating tables or into a reduction of the role that fossil fuel companies play in the political process. It is time for decision-makers to prioritise people over polluters.<\/p>\n\n
ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Notes <\/strong><\/p>\n\n [1]\nThe announcement was made in a COP25 side event titled \u201cAddressing Access to\nRemedy and the Business and Human Rights Dimension of Climate Change\u201d organized\nby the UN Office of the High Commissioner for\nHuman Rights (OHCHR) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development\n(OECD). <\/p>\n\n [2]\nThe National Inquiry on Climate Change is the first of its kind in the world\nand its resolution is expected to become a precedent for future climate\nlitigation in the Philippines and in other countries. The Petition sought an\ninvestigation on \u201ccarbon majors,\u201d the world\u2019s biggest investor-owned fossil\nfuel and cement companies, for violating or threatening the human rights of\nFilipinos by significantly contributing to climate change and failing to reduce\nemissions. <\/p>\n\n Fourteen\nhuman rights and environmental groups, namely Greenpeace, Sentro, Philippine\nRural Reconstruction Movement, Dakila, Philippine Alliance of Human Rights\nAdvocates, Philippine Human Rights Information Center, Mother Earth Foundation,\nEcowaste Coalition, 350.Org East Asia, Nagkakaisang Ugnayan ng mga Magsasaka at\nManggagawa sa Niyugan, Asian Peoples\u2019 Movement on Debt and Development,\nAlliance of Youth Organizations and Students-Bicol, Philippine Movement for\nClimate Justice, and Nuclear Free Bataan Movement.<\/p>\n\n Read\nmore about The Climate Change and Human Rights Petition in the Philippines: https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/philippines\/press\/1237\/the-climate-change-and-human-rights-petition\/<\/em><\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n\n [3]\nGreenpeace International\u2019s COP25 opening statement can be found at:<\/p>\n\n