Because the victims must be given remedies, those responsible for climate change and
ocean acidification and associated human rights impacts must be held accountable, and the
threats of future harms resulting from climate change and ocean acidification must be addressed,
remedied, and prevented.
The recognition of the Human Rights Council, OHCHR, and the parties to the UNFCCC
that climate change impedes the full and effective enjoyment of human rights protected by the
most fundamental international human rights conventions provides a framework for the
requested investigation of the Honourable Commission.
This investigation will further bolster the country’s leadership position on human rights
in the UNFCCC negotiations and at the Human Rights Council. At the 20th Conference of the
Parties to the UNFCCC held in Lima, Peru, the Philippines made interventions calling for
references to human rights, rights of indigenous peoples, and gender in the 2015 climate
agreement. In its high-level ministerial statement, the Philippines reflected on the rights
implications of a climate deal (or lack thereof), stating: “losing the credibility of the UN
multilateral process is not only an insult to diplomacy but a complete disregard to human
rights.”115 The Government of the Philippines joined 17 other countries in signing the Geneva
Pledge on Human Rights and Climate Change in February 2015. This demonstrates the
Philippines’ commitment to “promote and respect human rights in our climate actions.”116 With
the mounting evidence of the Carbon Majors holding us back on climate progress, it is essential
for the Honourable Commission to act now and establish the responsiblity of the Carbon Majors,
which will be seen as a strong signal for future climate negotiations and other actions.
So we pray for remedies. Hindi po dapat na kami ay mauuwi lamang sa pagbibilang o
kaya’y mapapabilang na lamang sa mga biktima ng climate change.117
Prayer
WHEREFORE, premises considered, Petitioners most respectfully pray that the Honourable
Commission on Human Rights take the following actions:
115
M.A.L.L. Sering, Statement of the Philippines at the High Level Segment of the COP20/CMP 10 , Dec. 10, 2014,
http://climate.gov.ph/index.php/media-resource/24-media-resources/speeches/98-high-level-segment-statement-ofthe-philippines-at-cop-20-cmp-10 (last accessed June 16, 2015).
116
The Geneva Pledge for Human Rights in Climate Action, Feb. 13, 2015. Available at
http://carbonmarketwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/The-Geneva-Pledge-13FEB2015.pdf..
117
English translation: We should not only be counting the victims of climate change or being counted among them.
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