Climate Change work in the Philippines 2010

http://philycm.wordpress.com/

Change? You start where it matters, at home. 

WHEW What a month!! Recently, I have had the opportunity to work for the Philippine Senate Oversight Committee on Climate Change, formed by Senator Loren Legarda. It has been an honor to travel around my beautiful country to visit schools, universities, & barangays to run 'Climate Hero' forums. We award 'Climate Hero's,' stewards of Climate Change in my country, and help educate the youth on Climate Change. I was greatly inspired by the International Youth Climate Movement that I had the fortune to experience in Copenhagen at the UNFCCC conference last December. Since then I have been able to build the Philippine Youth Climate Movement. Our goal is to mobilize all the youth in the Philippines to take action on Climate Change. 

So far, in the past month, Climate Hero Forum has accomplished:

1. Visit of 25 Schools in Luzon, Visayas & Mindanao

2. Engaged 30,000++ students

3. 1,000++ members who have signed up with Philippine Youth Climate Movement

4. Awarding of 20 Climate Hero's 

5. 100,000 trees commitment to join our World Forest Day launching of 1-M tree Challenge! 

Create Your Own

At the 'Suroy-Suroy' Sugbo event in Cebu, a project by Governor Gwen Garcia. Esperanza Garcia with Senator Loren Legarda, Regional Champion of United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction & Philippine Senator running for Vice President in the Philippines election 2010. 

'Climate Hero' Forum in Western Visayas State University in Ilo-Ilo City on January 16, 2010. 

Climate Hero: Senator Loren Legarda awarding Climate Heroes: Mark Popioco, Nestor Necesito, Jemuel Garcia & Camille Potato

The launching of the Philippine Youth Climate Movement at Bohol State University with 4,000++ students.

The happy faces of University of Cebu students during our workshop, as they gather to plan activities for the Philippine Youth Climate Movement. 

Climate Heroes from Cebu: Emmanuel Albano of the University of the Philippines Ecological Society (Cebu) and the NSTP class students of STI College Cebu with Climate Leaders Rafa Abubakar & Karen Gatus.

Climate Change spiel during 'Forum on Women and Children: A Discussion on the Laws and Bills sponsored by Sen. Loren Legarda' arranged by Christina Garcia Frasco on February 21, 2010 in Liloan, Cebu City.

Tree Planting activity in Barili, Cebu City

"For it matters not how small the beginning may seem to be: what is once well done is done forever." - Henry David Thoreau

I would like to thank Sen. Legarda, Atty. Antonio La Vina, Karen Gatus, Rafi Abubakar, Jessie James Marcellones, Bek Evangelista, Joy Aquino, Loraine Tala, Zyon Aquino, Jella Villanueva, Arch. Chris de la Cruz, Nestor Necesito, Edgar Geguiento, Ernie Rojo & ATTY Tony Oposa, amongst many other people, who helped in building this team & integral movement! We have grown so much in a month- which only goes to say how dire this movement is in our country! I arrived in the Philippines two months ago without any environmental networks- YOU MADE THIS HAPPEN! SALAMAT PO SA INYONG LAHAT for all your hard work & time! 

Join the Philippine Youth Climate Movement!

Welcome to the 'Philippine Youth Climate Movement!' In the upcoming months, we will be campaigning with Sen. Loren Legarda all over the Philippines developing the Philippine Youth Climate Movement. Our goal is to mobilize youth all over the Philippines to take action on Climate Change.

We are seeking to recruit young 'Climate Hero's' from every region, city, school, university in the Philippines to help develop this movement. This group will become a forum where members can share and discuss their ideas, projects, campaigns-- a platform to express & initiate action. Please invite your friends, classmates, students, colleagues, NGO's involved to participate.

This movement will be made for the Philippine youth by the Philippine Youth. We work in close cooperation with the global youth climate movement to empower youth and take their voices into decision making platforms.

Esperanza Garcia interviews Thom Yorke at Copenhagen Climate Summit

At the Bella Center, Pia Faustino (GMA7 journalist) and I decided to go on a hunt for Thom Yorke, frontman of Radiohead. Sure enough we found him, at an angry state.

The Shameful End of COP15

On the last day of the negotiations, inside the plenary at 6 am, Ben Powless, youth leader and activist, explains the current state of the negotiations. 
Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary-General, Yvo de Boer, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Lars Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark and other world leaders convene.

President Mohamed Nasheed of Maldives speaks with a youth leader

Inside the plenary at 6 am

Ban Ki Moon, UN Secretary General & Yvo de Boer, UNFCCC Exexcutive Secretary on panel

World leaders convene to end the COP15 Climate Summit in Copenhagen. 6 am update.  hagen- a 6 am update.  

COP15 at midnight

What really happens at the plenary sessions. It is midnight - and with everyone tired, we had two youth delegates entertain the other delegates.

The Biggest Climate Change Demonstration in history

The Climate March

On Saturday 12th of December, midway through the UNFCCCClimate Talks 2009, Climate and green organisations and networks, trade unions, peace, solidarity and human relief organisations and movements, political and other civil society organisations and individuals-- come together to bring to the negotiators in Copenhagen a massive, loud and visible demonstration of the world’s will to act.


photo credit: Adrian Dennis
Over 100,000 people converged in Copenhagen on Dec. 12, 2009 to march towards the Bella Center and demand a fair, ambitious, and binding treaty at the end of the Conference of Parties.


The Global South Youth joins the Climate March


Youth bring out 350 ppm message



3,000 signs in yellow saying, "There is no planet B", and "Change the politics, not the climate", "Climate Justice Now"


The 5-hour march fro climate change


Green Monster smoking


People inside Bella Center watching people outside Bella center

COP15

Copenhagen DAY 1 experience

November 21, 2009

After 8 hours of waiting for the delayed flight to depart for CPH, $150 worth of overweight luggage, and 40 hours or so of no sleep, I am in Copenhagen. Finally, after months of exchanging emails, I meet my host from New Life Copenhagen, Ann Sofi Benzton who greets me at the CPH Airport. Since I was packing for a Eurotrip/COP15/Philippine vacation, I had two luggages, each weighing 70 pounds, that Ann had to help me carry four flights of stairs with to her apartment (and of course, that is just the perfect way to greet a gracious host whom I had never met and letting me stay in her home with). Ann was absolutely welcoming and accommodating. As we start chatting in her living room, I find out about her interest in helping women in developing countries and about the volunteer work she did in Kenya teaching English for six months. She shows me an article from a local newspaper that was written about her offering her home to someone attending the COP15 conference. She is apparently the only one from Ishøj, Denmark who is doing so. She teaches me how to pronounce her city properly, since I am quite ignorant with the Danish alphabet. “Is-shoj,” she tells me with a smile.

An article from Vestegnen, a local Danish Newspaper, on Ann Benzton on her New Life Copenhagen experience. Of course, since it is in DANISH the only thing I understand is my Name, and now, Ishøj.

Preparing for COP15 events...

The preparations for the COP15 conferece in Copenhagen on December has become more than just a conference on Climate Change, it has become a Global Movement that will go down in history books (the ones your toddies will read about). It's about the Nation-States, the Global North, The Global South, The academics, The NGO’s, The Grassroots organizations -- all uniting (or attempting to at least) to find a solution to the global crisis. The participation of each sector is just as important as the other. The question is, how successful will our efforts be in Copenhagen?

Pre-COP events in November 2009 in NYC (pics)

• "The Rising Tide at Copenhagen: A 'Win-Win' Solution for Industrialized and Developing Nations in a Changing World" Luncheon

A luncheon at the United Nationson behalf of The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and Columbia University Consortiumfor Risk Management on "The Rising Tide at Copenhagen: A 'Win-Win' Solution for Industrialized and Developing Nations in aChanging World." The event was joined by other scholars, diplomats, and business leaders who will address a new technical and financial proposal to help Small Island States respond to climate risk.

• DPI/NGO Briefing - Global Action to Seal the Deal on a New Climate Change Agenda, in reference to the Seal the Deal Campaign in Copenhagen

This campaign is about mobilizing political leaders, the business sector, NGOs, women's groups, youth organizations and civil society around the issue of climate change to ensure that a definitive, fair, balanced and effective climate agreement is reached when governments meet in Copenhagen from 7-18 December, 2009. Seal the Deal! is about drumming up support at every level within the global community for urgent and united action on climate change.

• Climate Justice Fast UN Vigil
  

"Under certain circumstances, fasting is the one weapon God has given us for use in times of utter helplessness." - Mahatma Gandhi. Climate Justice Fast! is an international hunger strike taking place from the 6th of November 2009 to call for strong, just action on the climate crisis.

Job opportunity in Copenhagen during COP15 (full-time for 3 weeks: 1-20 Dec)

FYI - this has been circulated on behalf of YOUNGO to contacts and organizations in Copenhagen.

 

 

** PLEASE CIRCULATE TO CONTACTS IN COPENHAGEN **

 

 

The UN climate negotiations will bring more than 1000 young people from around the world to Copenhagen. These youth will work together on lots of different activities inside the conference and need support to help make this possible. If you have skills in managing details, can work hard and remain focused, and have a flexible schedule from 1 - 20 December, we are looking for you. There are 3 positions being filled for the job of youth logistics support staff.

 

Responsibilities of the positions:

 

- Perform data management and administration duties such as maintain contact lists, staff the Youth office, and maintain an updated library of relevant youth information.

- Help setup, run and takedown youth events

- Help track expenses and basic financial management

- Facilitate local transportation needs

- Purchase supplies around Copenhagen on behalf of Youth

- Support other youth activities at COP as needed

 

 

If you are interested, please send a short cover letter and resume by email to applications@youthclimate.org with the subject heading of: “Application for youth logistics support”. Candidates must have a good knowledge of Copenhagen and lived in the city for at least 2 years. The position will require working flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.

 

 

 

Applications will be reviewed, and candidates selected as soon as possible (on a rolling basis) so apply right away. Please do not apply any later than 30 November at 2359GMT, but applications received earlier have a better chance of being interviewed. Only qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Ecohope gaining International Recognition

At the UNFCCC Barcelona Climate Change Center Nov 2-6, 2009

Ecohope Blog Post featured at Current!

Featured on National Geographic

Project with Vito Selma featured on 350.org on International Day of Climate Action!

Featured on popular French Magazine

 Bonne Nouvelle

Vito Selma you are BRILLIANT!

International Day of Climate Action in Times Square!

350.org International Day of Climate Action at Times Square

Today on October 24, 2009, 350.org unites the world for The International Day of Climate Action. Considered to be the most widespread day of environmental action in history, over 5,200 events in 181 countries came together to call for a clear solution to the climate crisis: reducing the level of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere below 350 parts per million.

Even in the rain, people gathered for a rally in Times Square for a call to action on global warming. Displayed on the Times Square billboards were photographs of 350 statement from all over the world.

Bill McKibben makes a 350 statement!

From Bill McKibben founder of 350.org

Campaigns like this don’t “win,” but sometimes they have moments of real success. We’re showing you the current front page of the New York Times, which has a picture from Copemhagen. Roughly the same kind of coverage is happening in the Associated Press, on Google News, at the BBC and CNN, and on and on. This has nothing to do with us, and everything to do with you–with the creativity and passion and sheer energy that you bought to this day, which eventually overwhelmed even the most jaded reporters and editors. It’s an outpouring different than any the world has ever seen.

Our photo at Times Square!

350 International Day of Climate Action in Cebu

350's Photostream!!!

350 International Day of Climate Action in Cebu
Photographer:Vito Selma

350 is the most important number in the world— This number is the safe line for our global climate and a start line for a global movement. On October 24, 2009, the International Day of Climate Action, 350.org brings together 4,000 events in over 170 nations to take action in their community, engage our world's leaders, and build an international movement to solve the climate crisis.

Talented Filipino photographer, Vito Selma, and BRIGHT Academy students from Cebu City, Philippines joined people all over the world to make a 350 statement and take a stand for a safe climate future. This picture will join others to be projected on the big screens in New York's Times Square, and delivered to major media outlets and hundreds of world leaders in the coming weeks.

“The Philippines is a country that is among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change,” According to Nasa scientist, Josefino Comiso. The children of Cebu take action for their country and the future.

ITS TIME FOR A CHANGE. October 24, The International Day for Climate Action. GREAT THINGS will happen around the world. Taken at BRIGHT Academy. Thank you, Cheryl Pages-Alba and BRIGHT Academy for supporting this very significant cause. These children are our future! Thank you, Esperanza Garcia, for being a constant inspiration.

-Vito Selma

For media coverage please contact Vito Selma at donvitoselma@yahoo.com

1. Top 10 photos in http://current.com/green/
2. One of the main pics circulating http://www.350.org/
3. On Philippine local newspapers
4. Will be shown to world leaders at UN
5. Shown at Times Square!

photographer: Vito Selma

Underwater Cabinet meeting in the Maldives

Maldives Underwater Cabinet Meeting for 350

On Saturday, 17 October, the president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, and his ministers held an official cabinet meeting in an unusual location – underwater. The Maldives government held the first ever official meeting underwater as part of an international movement organized by 350.org to draw global attention to the pressing issue of climate change. To call attention to their country’s plight as a nation already feeling the effects of climate change, ministers gather to ratify a statement calling for rapid greenhouse gas reductions. To communicate, they used hand signals and wrote on slates. The statement will be presented at the UN climate change talks in Copenhagen this December.

http://www.350.org/maldives

350: MALDIVES CABINET GOES UNDERWATER FOR OFFICIAL MEETING 

THE PRESIDENT OF MALDIVES MEDIA GALLERY

Global Women Take Action on Climate Change in Climate Week NYC (Blog Action Day)

Global Women Take Action on Climate Change Climate Week NYC

During Climate Week in NYC, Global Women leaders focused on ways in which women around the world are providing leadership and organizing their communities in confronting the devastating human impacts of climate change. As a young woman environmentalist, it was so inspiring to be around Global women leaders who already are stewards in a global issue in need of immediate global action.

Carol Jenkins, President of the Women’s Media Center, welcomed 60 high-profile guests from media, policy, government, business, NGOS and entertainment on behalf of the TckTckTck campaign. Speakers included: Mary Robinson, first woman President of Ireland, Constance Okollet, Chairperson of Osukura United Women; Ritt Bjerregaard, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen;Bo Lim, the Special Climate Change Adviser at the United Nations Development Program; TckTckTck Climate Witnesses Sharon Hanshaw, Executive Director, Coastal Women for Change, Constance Okollet, Chairperson, Osukura United Women, Ursula Rakova, Executive Director, Tulele Peisa, and Ulamila Kurai Wragg, Head of Climate Change Team, WAVE.

Global Women Leaders answers UNICEF’s Unite for Climate Youtube debate

YOUTH CLIMATE DEBATE 

Are your political leaders doing enough about climate change?

Ritt Bjerregaard, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen

Bo Lim, the Special Climate Change Adviser 

at the United Nations Development Program

Tracy Mann of TCK TCK TCK

Constance Okollet, Chairperson of Osukura United Women, Uganda 

Ursula Rakova from the NGO Tulele Peisa, Papua New Guniea

Women still under-represented in climate debate

SUN COME UP

"WE NEED MORE WOMEN LEADERS"

 

 

International Day of Climate Action in Philippines (Blog Action Day)

International Day of Climate Action in CEBU

On October 24, people around the world take a stand on Climate Change for the International Day of Climate Action.

The 350.org team has just secured permission to display the 350 photos from around the world on the MASSIVE screens in the heart of New York City, with global media standing by to broadcast the story worldwide!  The photos from the big day will all have the number 350 depicted in them somehow, and will act as a huge visual petition that we'll send to world leaders. On the Monday after October 24th, the 350.org crew will be visiting UN headquarters to hand-deliver the photos to diplomats and delegates the world over.

What is Ecohope doing for 350 day?

 

  

On October 20, Esperanza Garcia, blogger of Ecohope, along with the brilliant Byron Garcia, and talented photographer, Vito Selma, bring together the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) inmates, to make a 350 statement. CPDRC is a maximum security prison in Cebu, Philippines. The prison is best known worldwide for their version of Micheal Jackson's Thriller video. 

 

RSVP Here: http://www.350.org/philippines350

We will stand together as one planet and call for a fair global climate treaty. United by a common call to action, we'll make it clear: the world needs an international plan that meets the latest science and gets us back to safety.

Promote Philippines, promote 350- LET US TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THIS EVENT!

 

For media coverage please contact Vito Selma at donvitoselma@yahoo.com

For CPDRC contact Byron Garcia at byron_garcia86@yahoo.com

Thanks to Vito Selma for coming up with brilliant idea!

BLOG ACTION DAY FOCUSES ON THE PHILIPPINES!

CNN: BLOGGERS UNITE ON CLIMATE CHANGE in Philippines

BLOGGERS KAPIHAN: Filipino bloggers take a stand on climate change

BLOG ACTION DAY: THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CLIMATE MOVEMENT FOR COP15

THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CLIMATE MOVEMENT FOR COP15

A message to the Youth of the World: 

We need to mobilize for ambitious goals

 A. A Global Youth Climate Change Bill by the youth for the youth

Gathering Global Youth Ambassadors from each country to sign a Global Youth Climate Change Bill that is ambitious, fair, and binding. As young citizens, we are responsible in the development of global policies that provide ourselves a framework in moving on further in the green agenda.

 

B. Provide innovative solutions to ensure that the Millennium Development Goals are met by 2015

Climate change presents significant threats to the achievement of the MDGs especially those related to eliminating poverty and hunger and promoting environmental sustainability. Our generation must mobilize to provide poverty eradication methods and sustainable development objectives that ensures the achievement of the MDGs.

 

C. The Global Youth Climate Change Center

The center will become a symposium where the youth can gain more hindsight on the effects of the degradation of Climate Change, and work with leading academics to find innovative and constructive solutions to Climate Change.

 

The world is facing unprecedented environmental and social challenges. We need to gather with new ways of thinking, new cultural values, and new ways of organizing society. We have the resources and technology available. We have the ability to present innovative solutions to solve the global challenges that we are facing. We need to bring our international efforts together not only in the mitigation of Climate Change but also provide resources for the adaptation of the impacts of Climate Change. Copenhagen is the most appropriate time to develop an international youth climate movement.

 

We are in this together,

 

Esperanza Garcia 

  

 

Posted on BLOG ACTION DAY October 15, 2009