Government leaders, CSOs tackle climate justice and human rights in a legal forum

MAKATI - Weeks before world leaders discuss possible new international agreements on the climate, experts and think tanks from civil society organizations, the government, business sectors, and other stakeholders gathered in a legal forum on November 12 to discuss their take on climate justice and its relation to human rights.

 

Senator Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Climate Change emphasized on her speech that “climate change is not just an environmental issue; it is an all-encompassing threat to our basic human rights”.  

 

“The phenomenon of climate change is so complex and overreaching in its impacts that we should now begin calling it the climate crisis,” Sen. Legarda added.

 

The forum also included Sec. Lucille Sering of the Climate Change Commission, and Chair Jose Luis Martin Gascon of the Commission on Human Rights.

 

In her speech, Sen. Legarda encourages government leaders and the public to work together towards building a sustainable and resilient community. She also enumerated some actions that can help address the impact of climate crisis including reforms on extractive and consumptive practices, stronger implementation of environmental policies, and risk-sensitive land use plans.

 

People’s Action

 

“We believe that climate justice, as important as it is for the country, still needs to be deeply discussed especially to the public so that in the end they can take action, claim their rights, and perform their responsibilities in relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation,” said Emily A. Palma, executive director of Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma Foundation, Inc.

 

Last September 2015, various environmental groups and individuals file a complaint in the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines to investigate some big polluters in the world that might have contributed massively in global warming. 

 

Based on the complaint, the carbon majors should be held accountable for violations or threats of violations of Filipinos’ rights, just to name a few, to life, food, water, and to sanitation resulting from the adverse impacts of climate change.

 

“We recognize these concerns from civil society. We also noted that natural disasters that come with climate change often endanger people’s livelihood, security, and dignity. Hence, as a contribution in mainstreaming climate justice as a development agenda, we thought of putting this opportunity to hear the sides of stakeholders including the voices of the vulnerable sector,” Palma added.

 

Justice Palma Foundation is sending the copy of the report of the forum to the Philippine delegation to the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, France.

 

About 200 people from the government, civil society organizations, and business sector attended the forum organized by Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma Foundation, Inc.

 

For more details:

Christine Cenal, 09212206027

Edel S. Garingan, 09228508175

 

Press release from the Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma Foundation, Inc.