The House Committee on Climate Change chaired by Cong. Edgar Chatto on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, adopted consolidated resolutions on climate justice, according to reports.
House Resolution (HR) 399 authored by Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Jane Elago urges Congress to support climate advocates’ key points in the struggle to save the environment with the key points which are: (1) climate justice; (2) urgency of climate action; (3) system change; (4) defend environmental defenders; and (5) youth-led collective action.
HR 418, authored by 114 House members, including Chatto and Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, and sponsored by Negros Occidental 2nd District Rep. Leo Rafael Cueva, expresses the stand of the House of Representarives on climate justice, strengthened implementation of climate change and environmental sustainability laws in the country, and for developed countries to deliver their commitments to curb climate change.
On Jan. 17, 2022, Chatto in his privilege speech said, “it is high time for the Philippines to lead the call for climate justice. Typhoon Odette reminded us once again how truly vulnerable we are to climate change.”
Chatto also articulated his hope that the House of Representatives would be able to pass elevant laws that would help avert the worst climate scenarios due to the alarming impacts of climate change.
During the committee hearing, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC) Advocacy Coordinator Maya Quirino gave a short presentation on loss and damages (L&D) in the context of climate justice.
She discussed its definition, the history of L&D in the Conference of Parties, Glasgow outcomes, the attributes of L&D, accountability and support, L&D human rights, as well as the topic on mapping the human rights implications of L&D, among others.
Among the resource persons who conveyed their support for the resolutions and shared inputs to the discussion were Virginia Benosa Llorin of Greenpeace, Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines (YACAP) convener Mitzi Jonelle Tan, and Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) Executive Director Red Constantino, Representatives from government agencies like Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Assistant Secretary Ann Claire Cabochan and Department of Science and Industry – Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST – PAGASA) Deputy Administrator for Research and Development Esperanza Cayanan likewise expressed their support and positions on the said measures.