17 October 2025, Quezon City — Citing a new international report1 warning that the planet has already crossed its first catastrophic climate tipping point, with warm-water coral reefs facing “widespread dieback,” Greenpeace Philippines urged the government to halt new fossil fuel projects, accelerate a just energy transition, and demand polluters pay reparations to reef-dependent communities.

Greenpeace campaigner Jefferson Chua said:

“The science is clear: the coral reefs are dying. Without them, billions will lose their lifeline and source of food and livelihood. For the Philippines, where natural marine resources contribute roughly 4% of GDP—or upwards of PHP787 billion—and supply the primary protein for about half of all households, this phenomenon is a direct threat to food security, coastal protection, and our nation’s prosperity.

“Communities have felt this tightening for years. Fishers in Eastern Samar and Bohol report smaller catches and warmer waters, impairing incomes and local food supply. These same coastlines sit in the path of intensifying typhoons, as we saw with Odette in 2021, where storm damage compounded long-term ocean heating and reef stress. The costs are cumulative: lost livelihoods, degraded ecosystems, weakened storm buffers, declining tourism, and the silent loss of community practices tied to healthy seas. If we fail to act now, the damage will cascade across generations and intersect with other looming tipping points, making recovery more difficult and more expensive.

“This is an urgent test of President Marcos’s leadership and the wherewithal of his administration in following through with its commitments to climate justice and fighting corruption and greed. There is no shortage of solutions—only a shortage of political will to end the impunity of oil and gas companies, who continue to perpetrate business practices that exacerbate the climate crisis. 

“The Philippine government must halt any new fossil fuel expansion and commit to a rapid, complete phaseout of all energy sources that pose a threat to people and the environment, such as coal and nuclear power. It must demand payment from those most responsible for the climate crisis through robust loss-and-damage financing mechanisms and enforce accountability for corporate polluters. Courageous and decisive action now will protect our reefs, the stability of our economy and the wellbeing and prosperity of generations of Filipinos.” 

The report, produced by 160 scientists and summarized this week by international outlets, underscores how record ocean heat since 2023 has pushed reefs beyond recovery.

Notes to editors:

[1] Global Tipping Points Report

For requests for interviews and other information, please contact:

James Relativo, Communications Campaigner
Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines
[email protected] | +63 919 069 3424 (Viber & WhatsApp)