EPCC NEWS

December 16, 2009

Filipinos join global action in Copenhagen Vs Climate Change

COPENHAGEN, Denmark—As world leaders negotiate on carbon emission limits, Filipino activists join tens of thousands of activists all around the world in mobilizations dubbed “People’s Assembly to Reclaim Power and Avoid Climate Crisis.”

“We are in solidarity with the people who fight for climate justice. This big protest action is a testament to the people’s demand for quick and meaningful action by national governments and international institutions like the United Nations,” said Filipino climate activist Clemente Bautista of Philippine Climate Watch Alliance.

“But as expected, leaders and government of capitalist countries like the United States, Japan, and European Union are evading responsibility and sabotaging the negotiation,” he said in a statement e-mailed to media outfits.

Years into the current Conference of Parties 15 (COP15), and almost two weeks in Copenhagen, there is still no significant points and commitments. A few days ago, African delegates boycotted the negotiation over attempts by northern countries to muddle the issue about their commitment to reduce carbon emissions. The demand of the African delegates was supported by China, India, and G77 countries.

“The climate negotiation is now being dominated by northern countries and big transnational corporations lobbying for market–based and profit-oriented solutions to the climate crisis. The United States until now does not commit to the Kyoto Protocol and adamantly refuses to enter into a legally binding commitment,” Bautista said.

“This makes the US a major stumbling block in what can be the only option for the world to address the global problem of global warming. The US and its allies are literally hijacking the climate negotiation,” he added.

One of the demands of the protesters is to scrap market-based mechanisms to reduce carbon emission by countries. One of which is carbon trading that allows countries and corporations to trade carbon credits among themselves. Holders of carbon credits allow them to emit equivalent amount of carbon to the atmosphere.

“Contrary to demand to cut global emission, capitalist countries continue to increase their carbon emission. Even after the Kyoto Protocol agreement global carbon emission from burning fossil fuels increased more than 30 percent. Carbon trading has a lot to do with this,” said Frances Quimpo, spokesperson of the international climate activists and grassroots movements’ alliance People’s Action on Climate Change (PACC).

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“It is through this global solidarity of peoples can we address such a global problem as climate change. We must sustain these actions even as we go back to our countries, hound these climate criminals, and press for true solutions, genuine significant reductions of emissions by monopoly capitalists.

We will continue to mobilize our people and strengthen our ranks to hold developed countries responsible to of people for significant carbon emission,” Quimpo said.