QUEZON CITY, Philippines–Young advocates from the Philippines today rallied behind environmental groups to call on all Filipinos to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for the climate crisis. The call came as the country holds hour-long lights-off activities for Earth Hour 2021.
The groups said heavy-polluting businesses must not pass the onus of reducing carbon emissions to individuals, as various studies have shown that fossil fuel producers have a responsibility to drastically cut global carbon emissions.
A study by Climate Accountability Institute [1], which analyzes the historical contributions of giant fossil fuel companies to the climate crisis, shows that a third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions since 1965 can be traced to just 20 investor- and state-owned entities. These companies include ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Total, and Chevron [2].
Carmela Adelantar, co-convenor at Youth Strike for Climate Philippines, said: “Earth Hour is an annual campaign that everybody looks forward to to further the calls for climate justice. However, one hour is not enough to reiterate the threats of climate change, and how these are being exacerbated by the fossil fuel companies. [We need to] defend the planet beyond the one-hour stamp by continuing to hold carbon majors, mainly these big fossil fuel companies, accountable, as well as amplifying the calls to defend the environmental defenders.”
Victoria Angeles, a member of the Better Normal Youth Movement, said: “The primary contributors to the growing climate emergency must be held accountable, step up their game, and accelerate the solutions they promised. They should commit to do beyond what is required and strive to set the bar high. It is only in this way that we can arrive at a more conscious and mindful world.”
These thoughts were echoed by Typhoon Rolly survivor Bill Bontigao, president at the Bicol University – Science Alliance Club, noting that Filipino youth should rally together to seek genuine climate actions.
“Beyond this 60-minute movement, we will still be rising and demanding [actions] because we all deserve a better place to live in. Vulnerable communities have suffered enough and the effects of the climate crisis will be a blazing flame that would help us to keep going and to keep on demanding for change.”
Greenpeace Philippines lauds Filipino communities’ participation in the Earth Hour movement, but maintains that long-term and system-changing solutions from corporations and government are needed to protect Filipinos from the impacts of the climate crisis. As a start, fossil fuel companies must immediately cut carbon emissions by slashing oil, coal and fossil gas production, and shift their business to renewable energy.
Under the organization’s call for a climate emergency declaration, Greenpeace is urging the Philippine Government to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for their share of responsibility in fueling the climate crisis which has caused death, destruction and loss of livelihoods to countless Filipino communities. Greenpeace is also calling on the government to ensure the Philippines’ rapid and just transition to a low-carbon pathway through a massive uptake of renewable energy solutions.
“This Earth Hour, we need to go beyond awareness raising and individual action. Earth Hour should be the hour of reckoning for fossil fuel companies when people hold them to account for the planetary destruction caused by their business activities,” Greenpeace Campaigner Kisha Muana said. “The growing participation in Earth Hour proves that the movement of individuals seeking climate action is going stronger. It sends a strong message that while individuals are contributing to climate action, big polluters must own up to their role.”
Notes to editors:
[1] Climate Accountability Institute’s Carbon Majors 1965-2017
[2] ExxonMobil, Shell, Total, BP and Chevron are among the 47 respondents of the world’s first-ever climate change and human rights petition. The petition, which was filed before the Commission on Human Rights, now awaits its final resolution. Read more.
[3] To mark this year’s Earth Hour, various youth groups join a Twitter campaign to call on fossil fuel companies to shift to renewable energy.
Media contact:
Angeli Cantillana
Communications Campaigner, Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines
[email protected] | +63 998 595 9733
Filipinos are enduring the worst impacts of climate change, caused by greedy corporations. It’s time to hold them to account!