Marcos urged to declare climate emergency after Karding

MANILA — An environmental group has called on the Philippine government to declare a climate emergency following the onslaught of Typhoon Karding.

Aksyon Klima Pilipinas, the country’s largest civil society network for climate action, also wants loss and damage or L&D be made a part of the agenda at COP27 in Egypt this November.

"We demand that President [Ferdinand] Marcos [Jr] and both houses of Congress pass a law for climate emergency declaration, which must include reducing our reliance on fossil fuels (instead of increasing it), upholding climate justice and related human rights, and scaling up actions to avoid or minimize L&D," the group said in a statement.

AKP also urged local governments to pass local resolutions on climate emergency declaration, including on committing to limit climate-related L&D and strengthening partnerships with different sectors to address local impacts.

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The group described the current lack of inclusion of L&D in the official COP27 agenda as "an act of disrespect" by developed nations to vulnerable communities that continue to suffer from their pollutive development ways.

"Developed countries need to stop making excuses and start living up to their claims of genuinely aiding developing countries in limiting L&D, as evidenced by Denmark’s recent USD13.3 million pledge, the first UN member-country to do so," AKP said.

From 2010-2020, the Philippines incurred more than P506 billion of climate-related loss and damage, the group said. Eight of the 10 costliest typhoons in the country's history, such as Yolanda and Odette, occurred during the previous decade.

The Philippines is a minor emitter of global warming pollution but is one of the most vulnerable countries to the climate crisis, the AKP noted.

• 'Agri suffered the most': Karding leaves 8 dead, P160 million in agri damage

At least 8 people died, including 5 rescuers in Bulacan, in the wake of Karding, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Over 45,000 people fled from their homes while damage to agriculture was pegged at P160 million.