21 Anna Abad, the climate justice campaigner who was instrumental in moving this petition to where it is now, had been relentlessly advocating that the “Big Polluters” be held accountable, and has presented the tough choice before us, thus: Do we leave our world of 7.4 billion people - almost half of whom live on less than US $2.50 a day - in the hands of Big Polluters who only want to safeguard their profits and maintain business as usual, while their operations continue to drive climate change and impact the lives of hundreds of millions of people globally? Do we leave our world in the hands of negligent governments that are failing to protect their citizens from the impacts of climate change? Or, do we rise above with those seeking climate justice; with those holding the Big Polluters accountable for the harm they have contributed; with those holding their governments accountable for failing to protect their citizens; and with those demanding change, to protect and safeguard their and our human rights to a stable climate and healthy environment? We need to make the choice now, because as long as climate change exists, every day is a difficult day for human rights. We also realize tonight that National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) stand at a unique crossroads as they embrace their role in this growing movement. We also must pay tribute to your extraordinary courage. NHRIs allow our vital voices to be heard. NHRIs can now be part of this movement to unshackle us from the key barriers to justice, and with our help, they can help move us towards a shift in the balance of power and the narrative around responsibility and accountability, change the power dynamics that have led to this crisis. Let us not forget that these institutions face daunting challenges. In this day and age, human rights are sacrificed at the altar of profit and power. Today, many of our societies face severely decreasing civic space. We are inspired to hear NHRIs, without fear or favor, are now engaging meaningfully on the climate issue. As the Philippines’ national hero Jose Rizal once professed, “the tyranny of some is possible only through the cowardice of others.” I believe that the bravery of a few is enough to topple the tyrant. This means that even the bravery of all the people in this room is enough to topple the empire. This is our time. This is our time to claim what is our collective birthright and we must rise to the occasion. The choices are laid down before us. We can choose a path of misery, with the climate crisis worsening. Or we can choose a path of hope which means embracing the most massive social, economic, and political transformation characterized by harmony and justice where people care and we are free from the threats from greed and injustice. Through these legal actions and many other community-powered actions, what we are witnessing is a momentum of people are standing up against greed,