No, this is not a Kathniel Breakup opinion piece or an anecdote of a fan since their Growing Up days. This is the first time the Philippines is having its own pavilion space in COP28 at UAE and after finally establishing a loss and damage fund (L&D), we are now ending a chapter of relentless years of negotiation of the civil society for climate funding. But is it the end?
11 years is hard to endure, but the 28 years of struggle to make rich polluters pay is a thorny path in a platform where participation in negotiations is at the short end of the stick for the civil society and for us youths as the bearers of the future. While we welcome these positive developments, the crucial part of the work is just about to begin. For one, the dedicated pavilion space for our country that was supposed to be an avenue for critical engagements and meaningful participation, has become an ivory tower of the Philippine delegation.
The Philippines, being situated in a climate-disadvantaged experiencing extreme weather events, these climate negotiations are the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation we needed amidst the time of survival and recovery. The need for an all-stakeholder approach is indeed crucial in this climate conference, in building a genuine climate-resilient future and community in the Philippines. Even though the future is yet to happen, it’s already fleeting along with the climate-vulnerable areas in the country. We could defuse the ticking time bomb instead of racing against it.
The historic win in the field of negotiations in COP27 to have a dedicated funds stream to mobilize resources to the climate-vulnerable developing countries is a great fuel for our transition efforts and making finance flows consistent with climate demands. But what exactly is a loss and damage fund? To simply put, as the climate crisis impacts become more and more destructive to the environment, communities, livelihoods and human lives, climate actions must be met to address the magnitude of these effects through preparing vulnerable developing nations known as the Global South to be climate-resilient communities.
Think of the L&D fund as the money your friends owe you for a first-aid kit after hurting you in a game. The problem is you have a very big gash and they’re only pitching enough for a single bandaid. Even worse, they keep playing the game that has consistently harmed you for the last few years. The L&D fund is the cost of recovery of vulnerable nations being pledged by developed states. This is like your compensation for the fact that you have no choice but to be part of this life-threatening tournament. This is also the money for adaptation projects of local government units and community organizations. These reparations are there to ensure the rescue and rehabilitation of countries drastically affected by effects of climate change, hence why it is crucial for the Philippines–a top-ranking global risk index country–that has long been battered by catastrophes resulting from activities of major emitters.
Therefore, the establishment of the L&D fund that recognizes the common but differentiated responsibility, scales up interventions of the vulnerable nations in creating sustainable programs for a pro-people just transition – to exact accountability and contributions from the wealthy nations.
Do the polluters already face the elephant in the room?
The COP28 happening in Dubai goes to show that a new era of negotiations is to be built. What sets apart this year’s convocation is the conclusion of the first global stocktake (GST), which is the process at which all the countries assess if we’re advancing towards our Paris Agreement goal to limit global temperature rise to 1.5℃ (we’re not). Which means we must circle back to the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) that aims to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience, and reduce vulnerability to climate change – all of which a Global South country like the Philippines is struggling to do.
Perhaps the critical discussion will revolve around the L&D Funds that even though its inception was only agreed last COP27. The $100 billion pledge committed by countries 14 years ago is a broken promise we still want to believe, because that is how we are – even though we are betrayed repeatedly.
This is a thing from the past. As we enter a new chapter of campaigns for serious climate actions, we do not want any promises; we want an urgent and rapid delivery of climate finance for a full-swing transition to phase out fossil fuels and investment on renewable energy for a total system change. A week after the negotiations at COP28, a $700 million pledge was committed for the loss and damage that seems like a joke as compared to the climate finance pledges years ago. The detours away from reparations is a sign that they are turning their backs from saving our future.
We hope you understand that this is something we really need
Among the hardest hit sectors of climate change are the women, children and the youth that constrains us from having holistic development to build the society we envision. Perhaps the cherry on top of this issue is our very own President Marcos’ last-minute non-attendance at COP28. As the country is battered by ecological crisis, the absence of a leader sends a concerning message about losing our chance to be heeded at the international scene. The Filipinos’ perspective as victims of this crisis offers weight to substantial solutions, especially on something as important as operationalizing the L&D fund where we can benefit from. However, this turn of events demonstrates the superficial dedication of our governing bodies on climate action.
Notably, the government had a tongues of fire moment as they mimicked the language of the civil society organizations – from establishing the People’s Survival Fund, reminding rich countries to deliver their climate change commitments, to taking the lead in mitigating climate change impacts. These are still empty words. We are yet to see the transcendence of these efforts to prioritize the urgent delivery of climate financing and just transition, having an explicitly bad model of transition.
Yes, you gave us promises that we will forever cherish. We will always be grateful. But is this enough?
Our demand is plain simple: put the people and our future at the heart of climate solutions. Not the profit-driven interest of the big corporation. Not by the elites. We need the full delivery of the L&D fund to foster a National Just Transition Framework that will address not only the transitory concerns on the energy sector, but a holistic paradigm that will fully integrate and touch human rights and to catalyze change in dynamics: a more progressive economic framework, reduced inequalities across all sectors, and real policy shifts away from false solutions.
Our future is at stake, and this is not something that we have to beg every time that we are only given a chance. It is our right to live. We are not here just to eat crumbs left by the rich. We are entitled to a feast to make them pay what they owe us.
Ellenor Bartolome, Pamela Lira, and Marianne Reyes are all in their 20s taking part in youth civic engagement as members of the Habi Youth Network – an organized movement of young people formed through Ellenor’s fellowship under the Oxfam in Asia’s Young Leaders Program 2023-2024. They are currently working on creating youth-led interwoven solutions and interventions for socio-economic, climate and gender justice.
