Recent COPs have been partially remembered by the extreme
weather events occurring just prior or during the conference. But who could imagine that the Philippines
would be struck twice within the year?
Last year, after Typhoon Bopha killed more than 1000 people, their lead negotiator Naderev Saño was
remembered for asking “If not us, then who?
If not now, then when? If not here, then where?” This week, Typhoon Haiyan has likely killed
over 10,000 people, measuring 8.1 on the
8.0 Dvorak scale, and the questions persist.
Granted the privilege of being the first country to be
recognized for opening statements, Naderev Saño, of the Philippines, once again captured
the hearts of the delegates in the first session. In a 15 minute statement, he thanked Poland
for their hospitality and the white flowers they were bestowed to honor their
loss. He was the first to thank the young people for their activism. He recognized the
resiliency of the people of the Philippines. But he also acknowledged that Typhoon Haiyan
must be a “painful awakening” to the reality of climate change. He challenged climate change deniers to “leave
their ivory towers and armchairs” and to visit “the islands of the Caribbean
and Indian Ocean … the Arctic … the Amazon and the hills of Central America. …
And if that is not enough, then go to the Philippines now.”
Naderev Saño once again called for action: “We have entered
a new era. We need emergency climate
action now. I speak on behalf of those who have perished and those who are
orphaned … we cannot allow super-typhoons to become a way of life. … It is now
the 19th COP; we need to stop this madness.” He also said the time
has arrived to consider loss and damage. The most powerful moment was, however,
when he related his personal story. His
family is from one of the hardest hit areas. He still doesn’t know the fate of
his relatives. His brother is alive, and for the past three days has had no
food, as he collects with his own hands the bodies of his neighbors. Naderev Saño ended by pledging to fast
throughout COP 19 until he sees substantial progress made towards reaching a
climate agreement. The immediate response
from youth was the chanting of “We Stand With You … We Stand With You.”
China had the only possible response – a point of order
asking for 3 minutes of silence. Agreed.
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Three youth who raised signs in solidarity with the negotiator from the Philippines were detained. In a subsequent side event sponsored by the Third World Network (TWN), questions were raised about the diminishing democratic process in this U.N. venue.
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