Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ)
A broad national movement for climate justice
No one needs to explain to Filipinos what the climate crisis means. For years, millions of farmers and fishermen have experienced how extreme weather affects their income. And after a few super typhoons, the rest of the world knows how vulnerable an archipelago of over 7000 islands is.
This is not enough to wake up policymakers for the time being. At the international level, they do advocate a drastic approach to harmful emissions, but in our own country, they do not immediately opt for renewable energy. This is also the first demand of the Philippine climate movement: implement a coherent climate policy and come up with a social and sustainable transition.
Climate Financing
First observation: the climate crisis is already claiming tens of thousands of victims every year: harvests and lives are lost, homes and infrastructure are destroyed. To prevent this, adaptation measures are needed, such as better flood protection, drawing up evacuation routes, building shelters, learning new agricultural techniques, etc. Of course, this costs money. Together with 11.11.11, APMDD and many climate organizations, PMCJ advocates fair and predictable climate financing from rich industrialized countries that takes into account historical greenhouse gas emissions.
National movement
PMCJ was founded in 2009 and has grown into a national movement. The foundation was laid by several national organizations, such as FDC, Focus on the Global South, APMDD and ATM, all 11.11.11 partners. The challenge was to become a broad national movement that is in close contact with grassroots organizations. PMCJ organized information sessions, local actions with farmers, fishermen and youth, a 'climate caravan', mobilizations with poor urban residents, cycling for the climate, etc. Currently, there are hundreds of climate action groups that are actively involved in PMCJ.
Results
As a result of the numerous local actions, 20 local governments have issued a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants and the island of Negros has a plan in place for 100% renewable energy. The national government has also announced a phase-out of coal, but ongoing projects are still being pursued.
Following a complaint to the World Bank Ombudsman (WB) about indirect financing of coal projects, the WB admitted that the Philippine bank Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation financed 19 coal-fired power plants with WB money, against its own guidelines. After the verdict, the WB closed this loophole.
