Shoes thrown at climate criminals at a protest action at the DENR
Protesters demand accountability from US and Philippine heads of states

On the summit of the United Nations climate conference, progressive environmental and sectoral groups picketed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) demanding accountability not only from the world's largest polluters, headed by the United States, but also from local climate criminals, headed by President Gloria Arroyo.

The protesters threw shoes at the pictures of US President Barack Obama, President Gloria Arroyo and other climate change culprits to condemn the US and Arroyo's environmental and human rights offenses to the Filipino people.

"These climate criminals and environmental offenders must be condemned and forced to own up to their historical responsibility for causing this climate catastrophe. They continue to aggravate the poverty and suffering of the world's most vulnerable and marginalized sectors and communities through their inaction and false solutions in the Copenhagen summit," said Meggie Nolasco of Philippine Climate Watch Alliance.

The action is timed at the summit of the year’s biggest global event when around a hundred heads of states, including US President Barack Obama and President Gloria Arroyo, will be arriving in Copenhagen on December 17-18.

Mrs. Arroyo is to be accompanied by Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change Heherson Alvarez, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Gary Olivar and other representatives to head the Philippine delegation to the climate talks.

She will deliver a speech to paint the Philippines as a primary victim of climate change by citing the recent catastrophes and calling on developed nations to commit larger cuts in their greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and greater global cooperation.

"While it is true that the Philippines is one of the countries most hit by climate change, Mrs. Arroyo and her allies have no business representing the Filipino people in the UN talks being part of the climate criminal gang themselves,” said Ms. Nolasco.

“In addition to the lack of genuine policies and programs to mitigate climate change and help communities adapt to its impacts, the Arroyo government and her agencies act as facilitators to large-scale environmental plunder and destruction through neo-liberal policies such as the liberalization of mining, coal mining, more coal power projects and deforestation. These policies have enriched and benefited these politicians and the foreign corporations but worsened the vulnerability of local communities to the effects of climate change,” added Nolasco.

PCWA sent a number of representatives to join the 100,000 activists and participants from almost 200 countries to stage actions outside the talks and take part in exerting pressure for a just and equitable climate deal to be sealed this December. These representatives have also joined and observed the negotiations inside the UN talks.

Now, nearing the end of the negotiations, prospects have dimmed for sectoral and civil society groups as industrialized countries continue to evade their responsibilities and obstruct the climate processes.

While it is the industrialized countries that account for 80% of the historical greenhouse gases emission, with US primarily responsible for 30% of the global carbon emissions, President Obama has offered to cut its emissions by 17% by 2020 compared to 2005 which is only a mere 2 to 7 % below its 1990 level.

This commitment is way below the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for industrialized countries to reduce GHG emissions by no less than 25-40% based on 1990 level not later than 2020 to avert the catastrophic effect of global warming,

Mr. Clemente Bautista, national coordinator of Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment, claimed from Denmark that, “the United States until now adamantly refuses to enter to any legally binding commitment. This makes the US a major stumbling block in what can be a major step for the world to address the global problem of climate change. Furthermore, the US, other industrialized countries and big transnational corporations are dominating the climate talks and lobbying for market–based and profit-oriented solutions to the climate crisis which does not strike at the root causes of the crisis.”

“ As the major polluters won’t reform themselves, even if the survival of the planet depends on it, the only answer to the climate crisis rests on global solidarity of peoples. We must sustain our collective actions even as we go back to our countries, press for true climate change solutions and hound these climate criminals, “ ended Bautista.

Reference: Meggie Nolasco, spokesperson, Philippine Climate Watch Alliance, 09278050008.

PCWA is a Philippine-based multisectoral alliance of individuals and organizations engaged in climate change advocacy. This is in response to the growing global campaign to address the issue of climate change and to get underway a corresponding, yet, grassroots-oriented campaign in the Philippines.