12 Days of Action parallel to COP16 LRC Statement

On this very first day of the sixteenth Conference of Parties (COP16) being held in Cancun, Mexico attended by 192 member states to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), we demand a genuine solution to the climate crisis – Climate Justice.

Climate Justice because we believe that the unprecedented global warming that triggered climate crisis is a historical debt and responsibility of rich nations towards the poor countries like our Philippines.

The impacts of climate change, including human deaths from floods, droughts and other natural disasters are mostly felt by vulnerable communities in poorer countries who have actually contributed insignificantly to green house gasses emissions (GHGs). The Philippines for one, have greatly suffered from the devastating typhoons “Ondoy”, “Pepeng” and “Juan” recently.

It is the developed and rich countries that are responsible for more than 80% of GHGs emissions in the last 60 years, yet refuse to acknowledge their deadly sins to humankind.

We refuse the false solutions being peddled by these rich countries, led by the United States and the European Union, which push iniquitous deals so that they can get out of their obligation to drastically cut GHG emissions and provide reparation funds to poor countries.

We oppose REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation Forest Degradation) and its modalities (REDD plus, plus) because it will impact indigenous peoples and rural farmers territories – undermining their tenurial rights, displace communities dependent on forests products, loss of livelihood, destroy biodiversity and promote monoculture.

REDD is a scheme that would mean “ business-as usual” for rich countries that will not only exacerbate climate crisis, but will eventually led to corporate control and privatization of the forests and  natural resources and ecosystems of the developing countries as well as put further poor countries into the quagmire of indebtedness and dependency to international financial institutions. 

We are against any mechanisms that would allow rich countries to buy "carbon credits" from projects that supposedly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries. Carbon trading is but another way out for developed countries from their climate debt. We want them to cut their emissions domestically NOW for the survival of the people.

We support genuine solutions that would ensure protection and respect of indigenous peoples and community rights, solutions that would empower the people in managing and preserving the environment free of corporate control and business-driven schemes.

We demand from our government, especially our negotiators in COP16, whose mandate is to promote the agenda of the Filipino people, to put forward a genuine and grassroots based urgent solutions in the negotiations, and safeguard our people from further devastation by refusing the dictates and impositions of the rich countries and corporations.

We call on the government to agree on the urgent demands set forth by various sectors as articulated by the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice.

To this end, we commit to link-up and express solidarity with the poor peoples and struggling communities in the country and the world and contribute to the building of a strong global movement for climate justice.

We will continue to work with the communities and grassroots organizations to advance the principles of climate justice in our country.

FIGHT FOR OUR SURVIVAL. CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW!


Statements could be attributed to

Judy A. Pasimio
Executive Director
Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC-KsK/Friends of the Earth-Philippines)