Philippines, One of Many: 2019 Global Climate Strike

The future might be dark, but the fire of youth burns brighter than ever.

Through mud, wind, and pouring rain, hundreds of students abandoned their classes to take part in the international climate strike at the College of Science amphitheater in the University of the Philippines Diliman in a bid to set the record for the world’s largest human earth formation.

Spearheaded by organizations like the Youth Advocates of Climate Action in the Philippines (YACAP) and 350.org, along with different sectors and other organizations, the event demands drastic environmental reforms from the government.

“The world is on fire and we refuse to inherit the ashes,” said Mitzi Jonelle Tan, YACAP’s convener for the event. “Right now we’re second in the world and first in Asia that is most vulnerable in the climate crisis,” she added.

Indeed, while developed countries like the United States and China are by far the largest producers of harmful carbon dioxide gas, it’s smaller countries like the Philippines who are most at risk to this growing crisis. Global Peace Index 2019 lists the Philippines as the country with the highest risk of multiple climate hazards – and it makes sense. As an archipelagic country, the rising sea level is a huge danger to our low-lying communities – and the storms that savage our lands and our people are only getting stronger every year.

One of many

The climate strike in UP Diliman was just one of hundreds - if not thousands - all around the globe. Millions of people across all countries took to the streets to join what is now being considered as the largest climate strike in history. Significantly, the protest actions were held on September 20 – a day before the United Nations’ climate action summit in New York City.

The strikes were led by teenage Swedish activist Greta Thunberg in New York.

In her message for the protesters, she said, “We have not taken to the streets - sacrificing our education - for the adults and politicians to take selfies with us, and tell us that they really really admire what we do. We are doing this to wake the leaders up. We are doing this to get them to act.”

Balikbayan

No matter the untold millions that attended the strikes, or the bold words spoken in front of the masses, we mustn’t forget that these protests were platforms to call attention to the worsening condition of the earth due to climate change.

While it’s easy to get caught up in the global nature of the climate crisis, we need not look very far to find problems that desperately need fixing. For example, according to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Philippines is among 18 mega-biodiverse countries in the world. This means that out of a total of 195 countries, only 18 countries support two-thirds of the entire world’s biodiversity - and the Philippines is one of them.

On the flip side, the Philippines is also one of the countries with the most endangered animal species in the world. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red list for animals by country, over 520 animal species in the Philippines are Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered. This makes it the ninth country with the most endangered animal species.

(You can read more about the IUCN red list here.)

What’s worse is that the brave souls who strive to protect our country’s natural resources are the ones who suffer the most. Global Witness’ report this year revealed that the Philippines had the most environment-defender killings in 2018.

The time to act is now

But what can be done? Eco-friendly lifestyles have become at the crux of trending pop culture over recent years. People have taken to swearing off plastics and using reusable materials as individual solutions to this growing crisis. For many though, this is not the movement that the world needs.

“A lifestyle change is not enough. We need a systematic solution to a systematic problem.” Tan said.

“What we hope to inspire is actually a long term community of youth organizers who will be willing to become part of a bigger movement that’s set on changing the trajectory of the climate crisis so that we can ensure the survival of life in all its flavors,” said Chuck Baclagon, 350.org’s Associate Director for Asia Digital Campaigns.

For Greta Thunberg, there is one clear solution. “We will hold those who are the most responsible for this crisis accountable, and we will make the world leaders act. We can, and we will.”