Quezon City—After Typhoon Tisoy ravaged Southern Luzon early this week, sudden massive flooding from non-stop rains is now sweeping Northern Philippines, devastating cities and municipalities across Tugegarao, Isabela and Cagayan, some of which are just recovering from similar floods early last month.
Greenpeace Philippines Country Director Lea Guerrero said:
“These two disasters that have happened in just one week highlight the Philippines’ extreme vulnerability to severe weather and its impacts. Greenpeace is repeating its call for the Philippine government to declare a climate emergency and hold fossil fuel companies accountable for their role in driving climate change.
“Filipinos are constantly under threat from extreme rainfall, storm surges, flash floods, lahar flow and landslides. For every disaster we count our dead loved ones, displaced families and destroyed crops and livelihoods. But confronting the root of the climate crisis we are suffering–the irresponsibility of fossil fuel corporations–is still not on the table.
“President Duterte must issue a climate emergency declaration in order to mobilize the urgent action needed to address this crisis. As a first step, the Philippine government must hold accountable fossil fuel companies who have contributed the most to this climate crisis. These carbon majors include some of the world’s largest and richest companies, such as Shell, BP and ExxonMobil, who continue to expand their harmful operations at the expense of communities and future generations. It is time that they are held responsible for what they have done.”
President Duterte’s Climate Emergency Declaration must:
• Put climate urgency at the centre of all policy decision-making from a local to national level.
• Hold fossil fuel companies accountable for their role in driving climate change and inflicting harm on the Filipino people.
• Demand other countries, particularly industrialized nations, to enhance their emissions reduction ambitions in order to meet the Paris Agreement’s aim to limit global temperature rise within 1.5 degrees Celsius.
• Ensure the Philippines’ rapid and just transition to a low-carbon pathway through a massive uptake of renewable energy solutions.
• Phase-out coal, and stop all plans for future coal and fossil fuel investments
The call coincides with the start of the UN climate talks in Madrid, and ahead of an expected announcement by the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines following its investigation into the responsibility of 47 fossil fuel corporations for human rights impacts resulting from climate change.
Media Contacts:
JP Agcaoili, Communications Manager, Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines
[email protected] | +63 949 889 1334
Kat Eusebio, Communications Support Officer, Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines
[email protected] | +63 999 229 6451
Tell President Duterte to acknowledge the urgent situation we are facing by declaring a climate emergency.