Phl group urges Obama to act on climate change

MANILA, Philippines - A Philippine-based organization campaigning against climate change has urged reelected United States President Barack Obama to prioritize the issue of climate change on his second term.

In a media forum in Quezon City recently, the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) called on the US government to address the threat of global warming by leading the world’s industrialized nations in cutting their greenhouse gas emissions.

The group issued the appeal to Obama after US recorded the highest gross cumulative emission among the world’s developed countries.

“We ask President Obama not to fail the people of the world the second time around,” PMCJ convenor Lidy Nacpil said, noting that the US president failed to address the issue of climate change during his first term.

“We want the US not just to cut their fossil fuel usage but also to shift to other sources of energy,” she added.

The group also blamed the US for delaying the progress of the international climate negotiations in fulfillment of obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC).

It added that developing countries such as the Philippines are already experiencing the catastrophic effects of climate change.

The group cited the devastation brought by typhoons Ondoy, Peping, Sendong, and the “habagat” (southwest monsoon) recently.

The UNFCC, ratified by more than 195 countries, states that industrialized countries should be responsible for the historical, accumulated and continuing excessive greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, the PMCJ said.

Among those who attended the forum was comedian Arvin “Tado” Jimenez, who recounted the experiences of his fellow Marikina residents during the onslaught of Ondoy.

“A lot of families were affected by the floods. I urge everyone to participate in the activities calling for climate justice,” he said.

The forum was held in coordination with the Global Week of Action for Climate Justice.

The group also called on the Aquino administration to help them in urging the US government and other developed nations to address the issue of climate change.