A global environmental advocacy group has dared the Marcos administration to take the lead in “pursuing climate accountability by suing fossil fuel companies and adopting stronger policies for corporate climate accountability.”
Greenpeace raised the challenge as the Philippines was buffeted by heavy rains and floods triggered by the southwest monsoon (habagat) intensified by three tropical storms over the past week.
In a statement, Greenpeace cited a “landmark” advisory opinion issued Wednesday by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) “that can pave the way for Filipino communities to seek reparations from the world’s biggest climate polluters.”
At present, communities around the country are still bracing for flooding and landslides. Over 2.7 million Filipinos have been affected so far, at least twelve have lost their lives, and infrastructure damage is raking in at over 3.7 billion pesos and climbing, the statement read.
“The ruling of the world’s highest court marks the start of a new era of climate accountability on a global scale, and a turning point in the march for climate justice,” said Greenpeace senior campaigner Virginia Benosa-Llorin.
“The President would be extremely negligent if he ignores the opportunity this offers for new legal actions against polluters, particularly those whose activities have significantly contributed to the climate crisis,” she added.
Greenpeace also said the Advisory Opinion could compel major polluters to cut emissions while healing harms with climate reparations.
“The Court’s decision obligates States to regulate businesses on the harm caused by their emissions regardless of where the harm takes place. Significantly, the Court found that the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is fundamental for all other human rights, and that intergenerational equity should guide the interpretation of all climate obligations,” the advocacy group said.
“The message of the Court is clear: the production, consumption and granting of licenses and subsidies for fossil fuels could be breaches of International Law. Polluters must stop emitting and must pay for the harms they have caused,” Llorin said.
“At Monday’s SONA, we want to see President Marcos, Jr. take up the cudgels for the millions of Filipinos constantly besieged by extreme weather. We want to hear him declare that we will demand climate reparations as a nation, and that he will enact the Climate Accountability (CLIMA) Bill,” Greenpeace stated.
The group said activists conducted a creative protest in flooded neighborhoods in Rizal and Bulacan on Wednesday,[3] to bring attention to the urgent need for climate accountability.” Images from the action have gone viral on social media, capturing public outrage and underscoring how climate impacts are becoming impossible to ignore.”
