WWW.GREENPEACE.ORG.PH
NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2021
THE BIG SHIFT: EARTH FIRST 02
SOLIDARITY AND CLIMATE ACTION IN THE MIDST OF THE COVID PANDEMIC
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSES CLIMATE EMERGENCY DECLARATION
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REDISCOVERING GREENPEACE’S ORIGINS 50 YEARS LATER
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PAYING IT FORWARD
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CLIMATE CRISIS IS EVERYONE’S AGENDA
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GREEN OUR CITIES
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WITH EVERY PROBLEM, THERE IS A SOLUTION
GREENPEACE AUGUST
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Volunteers prepare eco bags of relief goods from Greenpeace Philippines for some 22 families living in flood-prone areas in San Juan, Metro Manila who were forced to evacuate due to Super Typhoon Rolly (International name, Goni).
SOLIDARITY AND CLIMATE ACTION IN THE MIDST OF THE COVID PANDEMIC Many of us will remember how, at the end of 2020, the Philippines grappled with a Climate Emergency while in the middle of the pandemic. The devastation left in the wake of Typhoons Quinta and Rolly, and Super Typhoon Ulysses, reminded us that the country is still facing an even bigger crisis beyond COVID. It also brought home that the climate crisis is not just about food, water, oceans, and biodiversity crises—it is, above all, about lives, livelihoods, health, jobs, and having a roof over one’s head. What we saw in the aftermath of the typhoons was one of the largest outpourings of solidarity and community: people from all walks of life mobilized all the assistance they could muster to assist families in need, and thousands of people responded. Kitchens and food distribution had sprung up all over Metro Manila and affected provinces. Relief drives sent much-needed help to far-flung areas. Many of these efforts were youth-led, and notably, youth action calling for climate action also persisted during the pandemic. A few months before the typhoon, we at Greenpeace were already collaborating with local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila to explore greening disaster response. We worked with San Juan and Quezon City LGUs to model green practices in evacuation areas by providing reusable bags for relief distribution, dining utensils, and reusable face shields, as well as vegetables from ecological farmers groups, to several evacuation centers.
At the national level, we continued to lobby to get our call across for the government to issue a Climate Emergency Declaration. We also supported youth groups such as climate advocates in typhoon-hit Bicol province to call for stronger climate action. By the end of the year, the Philippine Congress had issued two House Resolutions declaring a climate emergency. This work isn’t over yet, as the spirit of the resolutions still needs to be translated into action. The declarations must put a climate lens on all policy and decision making and implementation, enjoining a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to strengthen climate response on the basis of climate justice. The good thing is that the groundswell of action from the grassroots—the Filipino spirit of bayanihan—is showing us that we are on the right track and that the Filipino spirit can rise up to amplify the call for solidarity and climate action in the midst of the pandemic. In 2021, this call for climate action and justice is now even more urgent. Following our work to highlight how a green and just recovery can create a #BetterNormal for all of us, we will continue to work hand in hand with groups, coalitions, communities, and the youth to ensure a better normal for the climate is achieved. LEA GUERRERO Country Director Greenpeace Philippines
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AUGUST GREENPEACE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSES CLIMATE EMERGENCY DECLARATION In a ground-breaking resolution passed by the House of Representatives (HoR), the Philippine government finally acknowledged, on paper, that we are in a Climate Emergency. The HoR adopted House Resolution No. 1377, declaring a climate and environmental emergency to ensure “enhanced and coherent climate actions in the executive and legislative agenda of the government.” Among the key components of the resolution is a call for major carbon emitters, locally and abroad, to take responsibility for climate change, reinvest in renewable and sustainable energy as well as encourage local governments to issue climate emergency declarations. House Resolution No. 535 was also adopted by the HoR, eyeing an enjoined whole-of-government, whole-of-nation, and whole-of-society mobilization on disaster and climate emergency. Greenpeace Philippines closely worked on, and supported, both resolutions and considers them a starting point for the government to put climate action and climate justice at the center of governance. “We look forward to seeing urgent and aggressive congressional action on climate change following the passage of these resolutions,” Greenpeace Philippines Campaigner Virginia Beñosa-Llorin said. Llorin added: “Aside from enacting these resolutions, the Philippines must lead the call to hold corporations responsible for their significant contribution to the climate crisis and its impacts on people’s lives.”
Pieces of personal belongings and plastic trash/debris are seen hanging from trees and structures as the flood recedes caused by Typhoon Ulysses.
A week after the declaration, members of Congress, representatives from national government agencies, environment groups, climate-survivor communities, scientists, and climate activists gathered to plot out the crucial next steps to ensure the historic Climate Emergency Declaration delivers concrete climate action for the benefit of Filipinos. “The Declaration must lead to clear and concrete measures that will pursue accountability from both carbon majors and industrialized nations,” Greenpeace Southeast Asia Executive Director Naderev “Yeb” Saño said. “Moving forward, we must recognize that the climate crisis is not just about disasters, but about the food crisis, water crisis, oceans crisis, and biodiversity crisis. It’s about livelihoods, health, jobs and having a roof over one’s head. It is about the basic rights and dignities of people, hence the call must be rooted in justice.”
The city of Marikina is left submerged by the overflowing waters of the Marikina river caused by Typhoon Ulysses (International name, Vamco).
GREENPEACE AUGUST
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REDISCOVERING GREENPEACE’S ORIGINS 50 YEARS LATER The story of Greenpeace began half a century ago when its founders sailed to Alaska’s Amchitka archipelago to try to prevent the United States from carrying out nuclear tests. Onboard the ship were five men, Ben Metcalfe; Jim Bohlen; Irving Stowe; Bob Hunter and Paul Cote. Alongside them were four women, Dorothy Metcalfe; Mary Bohlen; Dorothy Stowe and Zoe Hunter, whose names had been forgotten until just a few years ago. Following research by Greenpeace Spain’s Gender Team in 2014, information was pieced together on all the female founding members except one, Zoe Hunter.
MARIE BOHLEN
Marie Bohlen initiated the action in Amchitka. She wanted nuclear testing on the island to stop and dedicated all her resources to organize the trip. This event marked the beginning of the environmental organization now known as Greenpeace. It was Marie who proposed to sail a boat to “deal with the bomb”. She was also the creator of the first logo of the organization.
DOROTHY METCALFE
Dorothy Metcalfe made sure the world knew about what was happening onboard the Phyllis Cormack ship by turning her home into a radio news station. Nuclear testing on the island was stopped by the United States thanks, in part, to her regular reporting.
Motivated by a sense of justice, Greenpeace volunteer Maribel Exposito investigated further and unearthed a newspaper article while completing her doctoral thesis that helped shed new light on the Greenpeace story. In it, Maribel remembered reading about how a daughter of a founding member had reconciled with her father ten years after his death. The person in question was Justine Hunter, the daughter of Bob and Zoe Hunter. Maribel got in touch with her, and things started to come together. In one conversation, Justine mentioned how her mom and many women “were part of the origins of Greenpeace but rarely were recognized at the time. The first sailing to Amchitka was an all-male crew, but there were many people behind the scenes.” And to finally solve the mystery, Justine shared with Maribel articles published in Canada that spoke about these women and childhood photos of herself with her mom Zoe and dad Bob. Photos that Maribel immediately shared within the organization.
DOROTHY STOWE
Dorothy Stowe, founder of the “Do Not Make a Wave Committee”, helped Marie launch the first Greenpeace campaign. She organized the first Greenpeace meeting in her house. Dorothy devoted her life to defending the environment. She was against the use of nuclear energy and also protested against the Vietnam War.
ZOE HUNTER
Zoe Hunter was already part of the UK Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament when she met Bob Hunter in London in 1962. She introduced him to the pacifist work of Bertrand Russell and took him on the 1963 peace march to the Aldermaston nuclear facility—his first political protest. Zoe also worked with Dorothy Stowe and Dorothy Metcalfe to provision the first two Greenpeace ships.
Original article from: https://greenwire.greenpeace.es/tema/redescubriendo-los-origenes-de-greenpeace-50-anos-despues
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AUGUST GREENPEACE
An avid hiker, Jo enjoys the shade from the trees on one of her adventures.
PAYING IT FORWARD Fifteen. That’s the number of years that Jo has been financially supporting Greenpeace Philippines. It’s not an easy feat to accomplish given the unstable economic situation of the Philippines over the years which has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our team got the chance to catch up with her recently when she agreed to upgrade her donation. She was kind enough to agree to our request for an interview and here is her Greenpeace story.
Jo with her family at Lake Holon, the “Crown Jewel of South Cotabato”.
Jo with her husband participating in a company-initiated mangrove planting activity.
I’m Josephine Ramos, and I work as a finance and procurement director for a company in Makati. I grew up in Sorsogon and have always loved nature and nurturing it. I strongly believe that man and nature coexist for a deeper purpose, and that the environment should be nourished.
We were created to live freely and happily, but we have a deeper purpose—to be responsible stewards of our environment. We can do so by improving our lifestyle and by supporting different environmental advocacies.
I’m recently enjoying home, bonding with my husband and son over Netflix, music, and home design. Pre-pandemic, I used to spend most of my time outdoors—hiking mountains, going to different beaches, and visiting old churches. I first encountered Greenpeace in 2006 when I was strolling at a mall in Makati. One of their campaigners approached me for a chat, and a few minutes later I signed up as a financial supporter. It was an easy decision for me because I believe that it is the least that I can do to continue taking care of the environment.
If you think that you are alone on this journey, you’re not. We’re together fighting a good fight. This is beyond our own. Expand your network and join every call to defend our Mother Earth. Donate. Start small. As you get more informed about Greenpeace and join in the fieldwork, that’s when you’ll truly appreciate where your donations go. You’ll feel that the small amount is contributing big time! And then time will come when you will get the chance to increase your contributions...I see this more as an act to pay it forward.
GREENPEACE AUGUST
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CLIMATE CRISIS IS EVERYONE’S AGENDA
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Greenpeace is at the forefront of the campaign against climate change. We talked to Greenpeace campaigners about their thoughts regarding the impacts of the climate crisis on the people, the planet, and our quest for Climate Justice. Q: How important are our forests and oceans in fighting climate change? Forests are essential in maintaining a carbon balance on Earth through their natural ability to absorb carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Destroying them through deforestation or fires means we lose one of our primary defenses in the fight against climate change. Our oceans also play a vital role. They absorb massive amounts of heat from the atmosphere keeping the land significantly cooler. The study, undertaken by the University of Oxford, has found that the ocean has absorbed more than 90% of the heat gained by the planet between 1871 and 2017.1 However, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), this comes at a cost. It rapidly increases the acidity of the oceans and threatens the habitat of marine animals. 2 Q: How does climate change affect these natural resources and the people dependent on them? Deforestation plays a critical role in our rapidly heating planet and the Climate Emergency we all now face. That is why protecting the pristine forests of Papua in Indonesia is now vital. Greenpeace Research suggests that 1.7 million hectares of forest are under threat from palm oil and timber concessions.3 Over the last 20 years, around 634,000 hectares of primary forest in Papua has disappeared due to deforestation and fires. Much of this is happening on land granted to the palm and timber industries in the island province. According to a study by the ecologist Chris Free, climate change is also leading to a decline in global fisheries. Warmer waters can make some fisheries smaller by putting metabolic stress on the fish, making it harder for them to reproduce. Overfishing is also fueling illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This problem is rampant in Thailand, one of the world’s biggest tuna exporters.4 In the Philippines, the Climate Emergency is experienced through extreme weather events like super typhoons and excessive flooding, leaving thousands poor and homeless, year-after-year.
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Q: What can an ordinary person do to help address the climate crisis? Support our campaign to protect our forests from big corporations who are destroying them for profit. Together, let us work to empower the local communities in Papua to stand up for their rights and provide them with sustainable benefits. Our oceans and the climate are interconnected. We need to protect the oceans to help address the challenge of the Climate Emergency. In Thailand, we call on everyone to become an ‘Ocean Defender’ by supporting our work in creating policies that promote sustainable fishing practices. As a consumer, you can also learn about sustainable seafood and how best to support businesses that practise sustainable fishing. Finally, you can join Greenpeace in our fight for Climate Justice. Greenpeace Philippines, along with disaster survivors, communities, and civil society organizations, seek a favourable resolution to the historic Climate Change and Human Rights Petition, holding the companies behind the climate crisis accountable. You can make an impact by supporting communities on the frontline of the climate crisis–whether by amplifying their stories, signing petitions or joining climate strikes and protests. Article based on the interviews of : Nichanan Tanthanawit (Oceans Campaigner, Thailand) Sapta Ananda Proklamasi (Senior GIS Specialist Forest) Virginia Beñosa-Llorin (Climate Justice Campaigner, Philippines) SOURCES: 1 https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/early/2019/01/04/1808838115.full.pdf 2,4 https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/sites/3/2019/11/09_SROCC_Ch05_FINAL.pdf 3 https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/46328/environmental-crisis-borneo-flood-palm-oil-coal/
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AUGUST GREENPEACE LEFT: Greenpeace activists and members of the Indonesian rock band Boomerang paint “Stop Deforestation Now” onto the hull of a tanker at the Wilmar International refinery in Bitung, North Sulawesi. Wilmar is the world’s largest palm oil trader and supplier of major brands including Colgate, Mondelez, Nestlé, and Unilever. 1
2 As part of the Oceans Defender tour, Thai and international Greenpeace activists deploy a banner reading ‘Stop Ocean Destruction’ in front of an illegal fishing vessel near Samui Island, Suratthani, South of Thailand.
BELOW: Together with Greenpeace, RJ de Ramos, Typhoon Ketsana survivor, takes part in a solo protest at the Shell Headquarters in Manila to call for Climate Justice. The protest calls on Shell to wake up to the Climate Emergency, heed the voice of communities for justice, and start a rapid and just transition to phase out fossil fuels.
GREEN OUR CITIES Today, 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and this number is expected to increase to 68% by 2050. In addition, cities are also responsible for 70% of CO2 emissions globally. Now more than ever, we need to acknowledge the urgency of the challenge ahead and start taking action. 1. Make public spaces greener Parks, rooftops, and streets can contribute to climate change mitigation if they become green spaces. If a single healthy tree can have the cooling power of more than ten air-conditioning units, let’s rewild our public space and cool down our planet. 2. Green areas for better citizens’ health People’s basic need for open spaces in the Covid-era is a wake-up call for all. Outdoor spaces not only allow us to move more safely during the pandemic but are also linked to our well-being. 3. Restoring public spaces for stronger social connections Let’s make less space for cars and more for people. Greening public spaces helps fight inequality, promotes community, inclusion and makes cities safer and more resilient. Public spaces create a sense of belonging that helps everyone connect and interact with each other.
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Sources: https://www.greenpeace.org/international/act/green-our-cities/ https://es.greenpeace.org/es/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/Greening-the-City_Greenpeace.pdf
WITH EVERY PROBLEM, THERE IS A SOLUTION The climate and environmental problems we face today, no matter how overwhelming, have solutions. We need to continue our fight for a better future to finally see the end of these problems. Below is a crossword puzzle with 10 terms related to our climate and environment. Five of them relate to some of the problems we are currently battling, while the other five are connected to the solutions that we could use to solve the climate and environmental emergency. Try to find them all and see how they are connected. Send your answers to supporterservices.ph@greenpeace.org to get a chance to win prizes.
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DESIGN: Roma Pilar IMAGE CREDITS: Page 2 : © Basilio H. Sepe / Greenpeace Page 3 : © Jilson Tiu/ Greenpeace Page 4 : @ Greenpeace, @ Rex Weyler, @ Justine Hunter (Personal Archive), © Alan Katowitz / Greenpeace Page 5 : © Josephine Ramos Page 6 : © Geric Cruz / Greenpeace, © Rendra Hernawan / Greenpeace, © Athit Perawongmetha / Greenpeace
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