As Tropical Storm Kristine (International name: Trami) battered the Bicol Region, Eastern Samar, and other provinces with intense rain, and still gaining strength before making landfall, Greenpeace calls for urgency in climate action.

Greenpeace Philippines campaigner Khevin Yu said, 

“Tropical storm Kristine is yet another reason why President Marcos, Jr. should turn words into action on climate justice. This is the third highly devastating weather event to batter the country this year. Filipinos need action, not lip service. The President must act on loss and damage.

“The Philippines, annually among the top countries most at risk from climate impacts, and now the host of the Loss and Damage Fund Board, should lead the global call for securing the trillions of dollars needed to address loss and damage. To start with, President Marcos, Jr. should demand that climate polluters pay for the harm and destruction their products cause.

“It is imperative that the government, and especially citizens, should not be the only ones footing the bill for the destruction, for improving disaster response systems, for upgrading infrastructure, and for rehabilitating climate-impacted communities. Oil and gas companies, those most responsible for the climate crisis, should be the ones paying for loss and damage.

“We must acknowledge that evidence attributing stronger and more frequent typhoons to industry-level carbon emissions is getting stronger. A study by World Weather Attribution concluded that Typhoon Carina was strengthened by human-induced climate change.[1] Their more recent studies, which analyzed Hurricanes Milton and Helene’s devastating impact on the countries around the Gulf of Mexico, had the same findings.[2][3]

“Domestically, the President must ensure the passage of the Climate Accountability (CLIMA) Bill, a proposed legislation that mandates companies to proactively address climate change and prevent further harm to communities made vulnerable by climate impacts. Once passed, the CLIMA Law will help raise the ambition of climate policy, not just in the Philippines but also globally, as a national framework for loss and damage that lays down stringent corporate transition regulations.

“We call on the Marcos Jr. administration to go beyond disaster response by demanding climate justice. We cannot turn a blind eye on what we’re experiencing and what the science says, the situation is already dire. The time for determined climate action should have been done a long time ago.”

NOTE:

[1] Climate change increased Typhoon Gaemi’s wind speeds and rainfall, with devastating impacts across the western Pacific region – World Weather Attribution

[2] Climate change key driver of catastrophic impacts of Hurricane Helene that devastated both coastal and inland communities – World Weather Attribution

[3] Yet another hurricane wetter, windier and more destructive because of climate change – World Weather Attribution

Photos available for download HERE (credit-line compulsory)

For requests for interviews and other information, please contact:

Karl Orit, Greenpeace Philippines Communications Campaigner
[email protected] | +63 919 4571064

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