A proposal to address climate change through sustainable development and holding “polluter nations” accountable was submitted in the House of Representatives on Nov. 17.
Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc filed House Resolution 2362 or the “People’s Green New Deal” (PGND) which seeks to reform environmental policies, preserve the country’s natural spaces and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
The bloc brands PGND as the “first of its kind” in the developing world. A similar proposal was introduced in the United States Congress in 2019, but died in committee due to partisan differences in both the House and the Senate.
“The distinct feature of our proposed People’s Green New Deal is the establishment of climate justice mechanisms,” said Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, principal author of the House resolution.
The proposal demands developed nations to provide unconditional financial aid to developing countries to help them adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.
The PGND will mandate local enterprises with environmentally harmful practices to allocate 1/12th of their annual income for disaster risk reduction and bring “top polluter” countries to a United Nations (UN) tribunal.
It aims to place an emergency moratorium on pollutive projects such as large-scale mining and fossil fuel power plants.
The resolution will also strengthen conservation laws and protect environmental activists “in forests, marine and other natural habitats.”
Human rights organization Global Witness reported last September that the Philippines remains the deadliest country in Asia for environmental defenders, with 29 activists killed in 2020 alone.
The PGND resolution comes after world leaders gathered in Glasgow, Scotland for the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), which drew flak for being “exclusionary.”
Environmental research group Climate Action Tracker (CAT) also slammed the Glasgow summit for its “lip service” amid an “action and commitment gap,” warning that targets set in the conference will still increase global temperatures by 2.4 degrees Celsius by 2100.
The 2015 Paris Agreement set out to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, recent UN findings show that current commitments are not on track in meeting this goal.
NASA reports that a rise of even 2 degrees Celsius will worsen heat-related diseases and deadly heat waves. Moreover, it will reduce access to food and water, increase extreme weather events and raise sea levels, sinking coastal cities and communities.
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The Philippine delegation, led by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, joined over 100 nations in committing to halt deforestation and cut global methane emissions by 2030 and lobbied climate finance for more vulnerable nations.
The country’s representatives at COP26 also touted that the government in April raised its target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from 70% to 75%. However, the CAT reports that the Philippines would have to garner international support and adopt more measures for its planned policies to achieve its target.
The PGND targets net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Achieving net zero-emission means the carbon dioxide the nation emits to the atmosphere must be equal to the amount it can absorb back through processes like photosynthesis.
At COP26, the country’s delegates expressed reservations on a pledge to transition from coal power to green energy. Department of Energy chief Alfonso Cusi said that energy security “is foremost” in this transition. In 2019, 16% of the nation’s energy came from non-renewable sources.
Commitments proposed on Nov. 13 targeted that by 2030, 35% of the nation’s energy will come from renewable resources. But the PGND will set that goal to at least 42% in the same time frame.
The PGND aims to stimulate the economy by investing in renewable energy and climate-resilient infrastructure.
IBON Foundation executive director Sonny Africa lauds the PGND’s goal to “create 10 million green jobs and double the income of the poorest 20 percent of families.”
As of the time of publishing, HR 2362 awaits its fate at the House Committee on Climate Change.
Environmental alliance Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (PNE) urged the passing of the bill in order to exceed the “lackluster climate targets” set by President Duterte’s government.
“We need to respond with an emergency PGND to mobilize financing and compensation from polluter nations and corporations historically accountable to our catastrophic climate vulnerability,” Kalikasan PNE national coordinator Leon Dulce said.
