In a movement dubbed “Love, 52,” Greenpeace Philippines and environmental campaigners from different youth groups converged ahead of the 2022 polls and penned letters to electoral candidates, urging them to prioritize climate action.
Referencing the 52 percent young Filipinos that comprise the total voting population, co-project lead Maverick Flores pointed to the crucial role of the youth in electing public servants at a time of a global emergency.
“[The youth] have the power to decide who our new leaders are going to be. They have the most to gain or lose from election results,” he said. “They are and will continue to experience the consequences of the climate crisis.”
The Philippines, found to be the most climate-vulnerable nation in the world, stands to face devastating damages should the government fail to build an effective response to climate change impacts and translate policies into concrete actions on the ground, according to a statement from the group.
“We need platforms on comprehensive discussions about this,” Flores said, adding that climate change-induced calamities such as Typhoon Odette, a category 5 storm that hit the coastal areas of Visayas and Mindanao last year, “will only continue to worsen.”
In 2021, the Philippines ranked 125th out of 146 countries in the Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), which indicates the ability of nations to protect the environment.
“We cannot have a government that takes the climate crisis seriously if we will not elect leaders who prioritize the environment,” said National Society of Parliamentarians Inc.’s Vince Davidson Pacañot.
Where they stand
Several presidential aspirants have already outlined their plans to mitigate the impact of climate change in recent months.
Vice President Leni Robredo pushes for the inclusion of climate change programs in all plans of the government and calls for a concerted effort to shift to more renewable sources of energy.
Labor rights activist Leody de Guzman also advocates for the transition to renewable energy and the closure of coal-fired power plants.
Former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. likewise pushed for the development of renewable energy sources.
Meanwhile, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso said he would push for a massive rehabilitation, recovery, and reforestation of the country’s denuded forests.
In a radio interview, Senator Ping Lacson said he wants to implement better carbon emission testing and reforestation programs as part of his initial plans to curb global warming.
Lastly, Senator Manny Pacquiao said Congress should move for the creation of a “super agency” that would focus not only on disaster resilience and response but on creating long-term disaster adaptation strategies.
The youth’s sentiment
“We feel that the discussions around the 2022 elections, so far, have been missing key issues that matter to the youth and our loved ones,” said Cris Jamil Hertez, 20, of the Better Normal Youth Movement.
The group submitted a Better Normal Youth Agenda to President Duterte in 2020, expressing the youth’s vision of the country’s post-pandemic recovery. It states, “At a time when both a health and a climate crisis are upon us, and with the most crucial election of our generation coming up, we have to listen to those who will reap the fruits—or consequences—of today’s actions.”
Rorei Asinero, 22, of the TreeBuk Project, believes that while the spirit of Bayanihan lives and we have our individual responsibilities, we can only do so much as citizens.
“If these candidates truly love the country, as they say during their campaign sorties, they must show that love by protecting the Philippines and Filipinos from the worsening impacts of the climate crisis,” he said.
Greenpeace considers 2022 as a crucial window for climate action, given the urgency of addressing the climate crisis. An Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released earlier this year affirmed that the climate system is rapidly changing, and the scale of change is unprecedented, with extreme weathers that will be more intense and more frequent.
“Our next leaders have a prime opportunity to put the nation on alert and institute policies that would help us in the struggle for climate justice,” said Greenpeace campaigner Joanna Sustento. “The strength of those vying for power should be tested on destructive industries such as fossil fuels and single-use plastic production, who should be held accountable for their contributions to the climate crisis.”
The environmental group is urging Filipino voters, especially the youth who comprise a majority of the voting population, to consider these pressing matters in choosing the right leaders.
“This is not just shading on a ballot—we are talking about the future of our country and our next generations,” Sustento said. “2022 should not just be another year of loss and statistics; it must be the year of climate justice.”