City joins Greenpeace environment case

THE PINE City has joined the call to uphold environmental justice.

Aldermen approved the move to support the case by Greenpeace at the Commission on Human Rights against 47 energy firms for their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions leading to climate change.

Councilor Elaine Sembrano, chair of the committee on environment backed the call of Greenpeace.

“We are supporting the petition of Greenpeace regarding their request for investigation of the responsibility of the carbon

majors for human rights violation due to climate change, multinational corporations refused to participate in the inquiry into their possible responsibility in violating the human rights of Filipino citizens by creating risks that affects climate due to their business activities,” she said.

A call for investigation and owning of the responsibility of the carbon majors for human rights violations or threats of violations resulting from the impacts of climate change, companies ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Suncor, and Repsol.

“The ultimate goal is for the companies to change their business practices in order to lessen the harmful effects of climate change,” Sembrano added.

Desiree Llanos Dee of Greenpeace Southeast Asia-Philippines welcomed the move of the Baguio City Council.

“We gladly welcome the LGU support on this to bolster consciousness in the advocacy,” Dee said.

Dee added Baguio joins other climate change vulnerable areas like Tacloban, Palao City and Marawi in the pitch for support in the case which started hearings at the CHR March this year.

The support of Baguio is integral in the advocacy of the Greenpeace movement which according to Dee is a major city in the country and a gateway to the entire Cordillera region.

Dee said hearings at the CHR also enjoined the support of indigenous leaders from Ifugao who took the witness stand and attested to impact of climate change in their area.

“We expect other regions to follow,” Dee added.

Councilor Maylen Yaranon also enjoined the support of Greenpeace to help craft a climate change action plan for the city to which Dee responded in the positive.

The council will craft a resolution of support to Greenpeace after the unanimous vote at the start of the week.

In 2015, civil society organizations based in the Philippines, including Greenpeace Southeast Asia - Philippines filed a Petition with the Philippines’ CHR joined by 18 Filipino individuals living on the frontlines of climate change.

In December 2016, the CHR announced public hearings will start from April 2017, despite apparent opposition from fossil fuels companies.

Petitioners have asked the CHR to order 46 corporations to submit their plans on the steps they will take to eliminate, remedy and prevent the devastating effects of climate change in the Philippines.

The petition is the first-ever climate change-related complaint submitted to a national human rights institution and fully accepted by a human rights commission to implicate private actors in alleged human rights abuses.