Reaction Speech to the Dialog on Climate Justice

November 26, 2009
AVR2, University of Cebu Banilad Campus

I congratulate the organizers, collaborating dynamic and active organizations and of course to the speaker for the success of this event. It is of unexplainable honor and prestige to be one of the reactors of this venue. Let me lay down the views in behalf of Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya and the Stop the New Round Coalition Cebu to see the topic at the grassroots level.

Indeed, it calls upon us on an advance and highly-assertive level of response given the extent of the impact of devastation the climate change in a global scale likewise the local/ national scale had brought about. It needs strong enforcement and adherence to the logic of laws (international and national) to rise out of this chaos. We say, it calls for more, quite a need this time since mitigating may not cope with the fast concentration of carbon and that nature can’t absorb them enough, a transformation needs to be achieved, the transformation of the entire humanity from this system apathetic of the people’s plight caused by careless and inhumane practices in its plunder and to the loyalty for market and profit rather to the principle of sustainable development.

We support the quest for making the Global North or the First World, the perpetrators of this mess, accountable for its excesses. It has served humanity and now it has gone to its moribund state. Such despair of asserting its continuous existence has caused everybody havoc and continuing. Too many losses of lives and destruction to earth, the single living planet we have, had gone pass our consciousness, reports had been heard of imbalance everywhere, phenomenal changes in climate among different regions and ironies of catastrophe are up-front.

How many facts are laid and sad stories do we need to hear?

Furthermore, the State of the world is not yet in anyway relieved of the Economic Crisis on a cyclic basis threatening more vulnerable sectors and innocent lives among already impoverished people of the world. Such enraging scenarios, I can’t bear any longer. Being in the grassroots, witnessing these every step of the way makes me want to die with the perpetrators, sacrifice my life and spare the majority. Not sounding hopeless, I am aware of pro-active moves that have been pushed forward, negotiations and counter-negotiations, appeals and dialogues yet how many had it been since these talks internationally made to address prevalent and important issues of our times as climate change, social justice and equity. The latest one as the Doha Round had gone from bad to worse. Not heading any better. Guess what the Coppenhagen Round in December would result to? Nevertheless, as optimistic as we may be, we continuously appealed for Government Representatives to the WTO to study, prepare and take into high considerations how deals may be of benefit to the majority of its people likewise to the rest of the impoverished people of the world.


On the other hand, the Third World Countries’ Governments had shown incapability to neither protect its constituents nor be of control to situations/events that arise as effects of global warming. In the Philippines, we had witnessed several serious incidences of onslaught of natural disasters: the Agusan and Davao floods, the Mindanao drought, the Ormoc flash floods, the Infanta-Real-General Nakar landslides, the Guinsaugon land slide, the Mindoro floods, the Liguasan Marsh floods and grave damages brought by typhoons Reming, Milenyo, Frank, and now Ondoy & Pepeng and counting. Every after these incidences, national policies and priorities never changed, legislations maybe present yet of poor enforcements, rather sustainable programs and genuine development, expanded reclamation projects and land conversions propping up the Global Capital that further exacerbate impacts of climate change instead of mitigating them.

When is this cycle ending? Until a society is established that holds both the nature and the people of optimum importance. Until then, we hang on and continue to be surprise of what nature can strike back but bear in mind it will be more than a roller coaster ride.

Be one of the co-defenders and take that advance move for our sake. Understand the facts, take the responsibility, be one with the movement for we are left with no choice but, to unite to persist and we must resist.

Thank you.

A Dialogue on Climate Justice – A Lecture-Forum on Nov. 26, 2009 at 8:30 AM-12NN, UC Banilad AVR2

University of Cebu College of Law, ALSP, GLACC, IBP-Cebu City, Visyas Climate Action Network and KPD-Cebu


IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
FOCUS ON THE GLOBAL SOUTH-PHILIPPINES


Subject: “A Dialogue on Climate Justice – A Lecture-Forum”


Dear Friends and Networks: :

Greetings of Peace! “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” are not “once-in-a-lifetime” events. More super typhoons, floods and sea level rise are expected to ravage the country and nations all over the world. The issue , impact and consequences of climate change need to be understood by all. Is climate change the culprit?

In partnership with Focus on the Global-South Philippines, we are pleased to invite you to participate in the lecture-forum entitled “A Dialogue on Climate Justice” on November 26, 8:30 AM at AVR2, University of Cebu, Banilad, Cebu City. The resource speaker, Mr. Larry Lohman, is a well-known expert, activist, and researcher on climate issues. He works with Corner House, a UK-based research and advocacy organization. His books include Pulping the South: Industrial Tree Plantations in the Global Paper Economy (with Ricardo Carrere) (Zed, 1996) and the edited volume Carbon Trading: A Critical Conversation on Climate Change, Privatization and Power (Dag Hammarskjold Foundation, 2006). He is also a founding member of the Durban Group for Climate Justice and his articles have appeared in journals such as Accounting, Organizations and Society; Asian Survey; Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars; Development; International Journal of Environment and Pollution; New Scientist; Race & Class and Science as Culture. He is expected to touch on the following:

- To peg the introduction to the natural disaster the world is experiencing (particularly timely for the Philippines), or other concrete experiences

- To give a brief and clear discussion of what really is the issue/problem about climate

- A discussion of how countries/governments respond to these issues/problems – mitigation, adaptation, and touch on the many false/market-based solutions being peddled, and short assessment of them

- What ought to be done, or what are the alternatives, how to respond to the climate problem through climate justice, and how to develop green economies

- Then an update of what’s happening – the climate talks, among others.

Admission is free. For queries, please call or fax reply at (032) 420 7400, 231-8621, or call Cesan at no. (0918) 5127238 or email ucmcle@gmail.com. Thank you.

Sincerely,


Emalyn M. Aliviano
Spokesperson
Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya-Cebu
Tel. No.: 253-9682/ Mobile Phone No: 0923-253-7738