QUEZON CITY, Philippines, 26 February 2022 — The next president must lead the government into putting a climate lens in national and local policymaking to mitigate the impacts of the worsening climate crisis on Filipinos. The call came as environmental organization Greenpeace Philippines renewed the call for the presidential candidates to include climate action in their campaign agenda.
In a briefing paper, Greenpeace Philippines analyzed the 10 presidential candidates’ stance and track-record on (1) climate action, (2) climate justice and accountability and obligation of big polluters, (3) renewable energy and transition, (4) nuclear energy, oil, and fossil gas, and (5) disaster response.
The paper shows that while most candidates have spoken on issues related to the environment, only a few have laid down concrete plans to address the climate crisis. “The climate agenda is not an add-on or a ‘nice to have’ component in the economic recovery plans, or in public health and poverty reduction agendas. These issues are connected—and the climate crisis is an underlying factor that will derail any expected successes of these programs,” the briefer stated.
Greenpeace believes that the climate will be the defining issue of the next administration as they will serve during the crucial window for action, and the last decade to stop irreversible damage from climate change.
Lea Guerrero, Greenpeace Country Director, said: “The next president can no longer put the climate crisis on the sidelines and argue that the country has other problems to solve. Without concrete and urgent actions, the climate crisis is poised to worsen the country’s health, economic, and other challenges.”
To avert the worst climate impacts on health, livelihoods, food security, and energy security, the next administration must implement bold solutions, such as mainstreaming climate justice in policymaking and ensuring a rapid transition to a low-carbon pathway.
“We need to see the next government taking up the cudgels for the Philippines on climate justice, and boldly demanding not just rich countries but also fossil fuel corporations for their obligations, as well as for loss and damage,” said Greenpeace Climate Justice Campaigner Virginia Benosa-Llorin.
“Energy security will be a recurring issue should the next administration inherit the past administration’s addiction to fossil fuels and distractions from false solutions such as nuclear, fossil gas, and waste-to-energy facilities. We need leaders who will take bold and ambitious actions to end our fossil fuel dependence and will lead us to a 50% renewable energy profile by 2030,” said Khevin Yu, Energy Transition Campaigner at Greenpeace.
Greenpeace’s “2022 Presidential Elections | What’s at stake: Climate” available for download here.
Media contact:
Angeli Cantillana
Communications Campaigner, Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines
[email protected] | +63 998 595 9733