As the debate continues, we hope the delegates in the ongoing climate summit in Lima, Peru pause long enough to witness in the convention centers’ widescreens how Mother Earth punishes people.
Climate change and the overall environmental crises has shifted the path of environmentalism.
From the tree-hugging generation and love of Mother Earth romanticism, the struggle under conditions of the ‘new normal’ is about survival.
Taking care of the planet is no longer just about the welfare of trees, fish, air and the rest of living things that inhabit the Earth.
In 2011, tropical storm Sendong (Washi) was a freak of nature. Despite its weak wind strength, its rains made it one of the deadliest storms to hit the country, leaving over a thousand dead in northern Mindanao.
A year later, typhoon Pablo (Bopha) followed with howling winds, flattening everything in its path, leaving behind around 1,900 dead in southeastern and northeastern Mindanao.
Nobody expected supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan) to cause a humanitarian crises, causing over 6,000 deaths on Nov. 8, 2013.
It’s easier to believe conservative projections. When two deadly typhoons came 11 months apart, many wanted to believe that after suffering successive beatings, we would get a break.
Now, here comes supertyphoon Ruby (Hagupit) barreling her way to areas still reeling from Yolanda’s wrath.
The break we are expecting is not yet in the horizon.
With Ruby packing winds over 200 kphs and spread over a rain band of around 700 kilometers in diameter, we’re in for a rough ride again.
While we brace for impact, somewhere in South America, world diplomats, scientists, corporate lobbyists and activists are gathered in Lima, Peru for the 2014 Climate Change Summit.
The 20th Conference of Parties is aimed at coming up with solutions to the climate crises.
While the global scientific community has again reaffirmed that climate change is caused by human activities, the last report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, released last month, there is still reluctance from the leading polluters to commit to drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
Hopefully, these wealthy countries won’t ignore the suffering of the Filipino people as they did in the Warsaw climate summit last year during Yolanda.
As the debate continues, we hope they pause long enough to witness on their wide screens in the convention centers of Lima how Mother Earth punishes people.
Someone is sure to sound the call again for binding commitments on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change finance, among others.
Last year, Climate Commissioner Naderev “Yeb” Sano silenced the summit with his tears and dramatic appeal for victims of Yolanda.
He isn’t at the Lima summit. Too bad the Philippine Government muted and excluded him from the Philippine delegation.
This weekend will show how much the Philippines really learned from its violent dance with Yolanda. And how ready the government is to address its aftermath.
While we pray for safety, we have to prepare. Stay safe everyone.