In Tearful, Amazing Speech, Philippines Climate Delegate Announces Hunger Strike

Summary

The Philippine delegation expresses deep gratitude to Poland for their hospitality during a climate conference in Warsaw. Amidst the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan, the speaker calls for urgent global action on climate change, emphasizing the devastating impact of the typhoon and the need for solidarity, increased ambition, and concrete measures to address climate change's adverse effects. The speech also highlights the importance of renewable energy and the moral duty to act for future generations.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The speaker expresses gratitude to Poland for hosting the event in Warsaw amidst a global tragedy.
• 🤝 Acknowledges the solidarity and support from various countries, governments, and people worldwide towards the Philippines.
• 🌪 Describes the devastating impact of Super Typhoon Haiyan, emphasizing its unprecedented scale and the ongoing struggle to assess damages.
• 🌊 Calls for global recognition and action on climate change, urging skeptics to witness its effects firsthand in affected regions.
• 🌐 Stresses the urgency for climate action, stating that the current efforts are insufficient to prevent further crises like Haiyan.
• 💪 Advocates for increased ambition and political will to address climate change, highlighting the need for immediate and drastic measures.
• 🔄 Discusses the Philippines' commitment to renewable energy through legislation aiming to significantly increase its capacity by 2020 and 2030.
• 💰 Requests financial support from developed countries to cover the incremental costs of renewable energy adoption until it reaches grid parity.
• 🙏 Announces a voluntary fasting initiative by the speaker to protest the lack of meaningful climate action and to demand concrete pledges for the Green Climate Fund.
• 🌳 Highlights the moral duty of all parties to address climate change, emphasizing the importance of sustainable development and the pursuit of a better future.
• 📢 Ends with a plea for the COP to be remembered as the place where decisive action was taken to halt the 'madness' of climate change.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the speech delivered by the Philippine delegation at the climate conference?

The main purpose of the speech is to express the urgency of addressing climate change, highlight the devastating impact of Super Typhoon Haiyan on the Philippines, and call for global solidarity and action to prevent further catastrophes.

How does the speaker describe the hospitality of Poland and the city of Warsaw?

The speaker describes the hospitality of Poland and the city of Warsaw as warm and charming, with people offering smiles everywhere, making the delegation feel comfortable despite the tragic circumstances.

What is the significance of the 'hell storm' mentioned in the speech?

The 'hell storm' refers to Super Typhoon Haiyan, which is described as an unprecedented, unthinkable, and horrific disaster that has tested the resilience of the Philippines.

What is the estimated wind speed of Super Typhoon Haiyan according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center?

The estimated sustained winds of Super Typhoon Haiyan were 315 km/h (195 miles per hour), with gusts up to 370 km/h, making it the strongest typhoon in modern recorded history.

What does the speaker mean by 'rising above adversity'?

The phrase 'rising above adversity' signifies the ability of humanity to unite and overcome challenges, such as the effects of climate change, by showing solidarity and support for affected countries.

What is the speaker's stance on those who deny or ignore the reality of climate change?

The speaker challenges climate change deniers to leave their comfort zones and witness the impacts of climate change firsthand in various regions affected by extreme weather events and rising sea levels.

What is the 'emergency climate pathway' the speaker refers to?

The 'emergency climate pathway' is a call for immediate and drastic action to prevent a future where super typhoons and other climate-related disasters become a way of life.

What is the Philippines' commitment to renewable energy as mentioned in the speech?

The Philippines has enacted a renewable energy law aiming to double the renewable energy capacity by 2020 and triple it by 2030, with a call for developed countries to finance the incremental cost until renewables reach grid parity.

Why does the speaker announce a voluntary fasting for the climate?

The speaker announces a voluntary fasting as a personal act of protest and commitment to climate action, refusing to eat until there is a meaningful outcome at the conference, including concrete pledges for the Green Climate Fund and a loss and damage mechanism.

What is the speaker's final call to action for the audience at the climate conference?

The speaker calls for the audience to lead by example, making the conference a place where meaningful action is taken to stop the 'madness' of climate change, and to remember it as the place where humanity truly cared to address the crisis.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Expression of Gratitude Amidst Tragedy

The speaker, addressing the President, expresses deep appreciation for Poland's hospitality during a time of crisis. They acknowledge the warmth and support from various entities, including international friends, youth, civil society, and the media, in the face of the devastating impact of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. The speaker calls for global solidarity against climate change, emphasizing the need for immediate and collective action to prevent further disasters and to craft a sustainable future.

05:01

🌪️ Urgency for Climate Action and the Reality of Super Typhoon Haiyan

The speaker discusses the catastrophic effects of Super Typhoon Haiyan, highlighting its unprecedented strength and the immense destruction it caused. They stress the urgency for climate action, calling on the international community to recognize the severity of the situation and to increase their efforts to combat climate change. The speaker also challenges climate change deniers to witness the effects of climate change firsthand and calls for a stronger commitment to reducing emissions and supporting developing countries in their efforts to adapt to and mitigate climate impacts.

10:02

💡 The Philippines' Commitment to Renewable Energy

The speaker outlines the Philippines' initiatives to combat climate change through the enactment of the Renewable Energy Law, which aims to significantly increase the country's renewable energy capacity. They propose a 'socialized feed-in tariff' scheme, requesting financial support from developed countries to cover the incremental costs of renewable energy until it becomes cost-competitive with fossil fuels. The speaker emphasizes the moral duty to address climate change and the need for global solidarity in the pursuit of sustainable development.

15:04

🕊️ A Call for Unity and Action in Warsaw

In a personal and emotional appeal, the speaker calls for unity and decisive action at the climate conference in Warsaw. They express their willingness to undertake a voluntary fast until concrete pledges are made to address climate change, including the mobilization of resources for the Green Climate Fund and the establishment of a loss and damage mechanism. The speaker urges the conference to be remembered as a turning point in the fight against climate change and to prove the critics wrong by taking meaningful steps towards a sustainable future.

Keywords

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, primarily as a result of human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. In the video, it is the central theme, with the speaker highlighting its devastating effects, particularly in the Philippines, where it has led to catastrophic storms like Typhoon Haiyan.

💡Typhoon Haiyan

Typhoon Haiyan, known as Yolanda in the Philippines, is one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded. The video script discusses its impact as an example of the extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change, causing massive destruction and loss of life in the Philippines.

💡Solidarity

Solidarity in this context denotes unity and mutual support among nations in the face of a common challenge, such as climate change. The speaker expresses gratitude for the global support received by the Philippines and calls for continued unity to confront and address climate change.

💡UNFCCC

The UNFCCC, or United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is an international environmental treaty aimed at stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. The video emphasizes the importance of the UNFCCC in coordinating global efforts to combat climate change.

💡COP

COP stands for Conference of the Parties, which is the decision-making body of the UNFCCC. The speaker mentions COP 19 in Warsaw and expresses the urgency for decisive action at these meetings to address climate change effectively.

💡Renewable Energy

Renewable energy refers to energy from sources that are naturally replenished, such as sunlight, wind, and rain. The speaker discusses the Philippines' commitment to renewable energy through its Renewable Energy Law, aiming to increase its share in the country's energy mix.

💡Feed-in Tariff

A feed-in tariff is a policy tool that guarantees a fixed price for electricity generated from renewable sources. The video script mentions the Philippines' aspiration to implement this policy to incentivize renewable energy production and seeks international support to finance the incremental costs.

💡Loss and Damage

Loss and damage refer to the irreversible impacts of climate change, including the destruction of infrastructure, displacement of communities, and loss of life. The speaker calls for the recognition and addressing of loss and damage within the climate change discourse.

💡Green Climate Fund

The Green Climate Fund is a financial mechanism within the UNFCCC to help developing countries mitigate and adapt to climate change. The speaker emphasizes the need for mobilizing resources for this fund to support climate action in vulnerable countries.

💡Adaptation

Adaptation in the context of climate change involves采取措施 to reduce the vulnerability of communities to climate impacts. The speaker mentions the need for financial support for adaptation measures, especially for countries like the Philippines that are on the front lines of climate change.

💡Mitigation

Mitigation refers to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to slow down climate change. The speaker discusses the Philippines' nationally appropriate mitigation actions, such as increasing renewable energy capacity, as part of its commitment to mitigate climate change.

Highlights

The Philippine delegation expresses gratitude to Poland for the warm hospitality during a difficult time.

Appreciation for the efforts in organizing the COP and the solidarity shown by countries and individuals towards the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan.

The acknowledgment of the youth and civil society's role in addressing the urgency of climate change.

The call for global unity against the adverse impacts of climate change, emphasizing the support received as a sign of human solidarity.

A vivid description of the catastrophic effects of Super Typhoon Haiyan, highlighting its unprecedented strength and destruction.

The plea for those denying climate change to witness its effects firsthand in various parts of the world.

The emphasis on the increased potential for more intense tropical storms due to climate change and its implications for communities.

The call for action in Warsaw to enhance ambition and muster political will to address climate change, building a bridge towards Peru and Paris.

The personal account of the speaker's family being affected by Typhoon Haiyan, adding a deeply personal perspective to the speech.

The challenge to developed countries to finance the incremental cost of renewable energy in the Philippines until it reaches grid parity.

The proposal of a 'socialized feed-in tariff' as a solution to not burden the Filipino people with increased power rates due to renewable energy initiatives.

The voluntary fasting by the speaker as a form of protest for more concrete action on climate change during the COP.

The call for an emergency climate pathway and the need for immediate action to prevent a future with super typhoons as a norm.

The statement that even the most ambitious emissions reductions will not be enough to avert the climate crisis, emphasizing the need for global solidarity.

The speaker's expression of support for climate activists and the call for increased civil disobedience to confront those responsible for climate change.

The final appeal to the international community to take decisive action in Warsaw to be remembered as the place where 'madness' was stopped.

Transcripts

sir president in the midst of this

tragedy one which you have correctly

referred to as a painful awakening my

delegation finds comfort in the warm

hospitality of Poland for welcoming us

to this very beautiful and charming city

of Warsaw with your people offering us

smiles warm smiles everywhere we go

whether were in our hotels or on the

streets with the stewards and personnel

in this National Stadium so thank you

again Thank You Poland the range means

that you together with the secretariat

of made for this cup is most excellent

and we highly appreciate the tremendous

effort that you have put into the

preparations for this very important

meeting yes we also thank you all

friends and colleagues gathered in this

hall and from all corners of the world

as you stand beside us in this trying

time we thank all countries and

governments who have extended your

sympathy and for offering your

assistance to the Philippines

we thank the youth present here and the

billions of young people all over the

world who stand steadfast with the

Philippines and who are carefully

watching us as we craft their future I

thank civil society both those who are

working on the ground as we race against

time in the hardest hit areas of the

typhoon and those who are here in Warsaw

prodding us to have a sense of urgency

we thank the media as well for helping

us communicate the realities of climate

change we are deeply moved by this

manifestation of human solidarity and we

likewise stand in solidarity with all

countries that face and confront the

adverse impacts of climate change this

outpouring of support proves that as a

human race we can unite

and we can all rise above adversity that

as a species we care mr. president it

was barely 11 months ago in Doha when my

delegation made an appeal an appeal to

the world opened our eyes of the stark

realities that we face as then we

confronted a catastrophic storm that

resulted in the costliest disaster in

philippine history

less than a year hence we cannot imagine

that a disaster much bigger would come

with an apparent cruelty of faith my

country is being tested by this hell

storm called super typhoon Haiyan it was

so strong that if there was a category 6

it would have fallen squarely in that

box and up to this hour mr. president we

remain uncertain full extent of the

damage and devastation as information

trickles in agonizingly slow manner

because power lines and communication

lines have been cut off and may take a

while before they are restored the

initial assessment showed that high and

left a wake of massive destruction that

is unprecedented unthinkable and

horrific

according to the Joint Typhoon Warning

Center ìin was estimated to have

attained sustained winds of 315 km/h

that's equivalent to 195 miles per hour

and gusts up to 370 kilometers per hour

making it the strongest typhoon in

modern recorded history and despite the

massive efforts that my country had

exerted in preparing for the onset of

the storm it was just a force too

powerful and even as a nation familiar

with storms Haiyan was nothing we have

ever experienced before

mr. president the picture in the

aftermath is ever slowly coming into

clearer focus the devastation is

colossal and if this is not enough

another storm is brewing again in the

warm waters of the pstn Pacific I

shudder the thought of another typhoon

hitting the same places where people

have not yet even managed to begin

standing up

to anyone outside who continues to deny

and ignore the reality that is climate

change I dare them I dare them to get of

their ivory towers and away from the

comfort of their armchairs I dare them

to go to the islands of the Pacific the

Caribbean the Indian Ocean and see the

impacts of rising sea levels the

mountainous regions of the Himalayas and

the Andes to see communities confronting

glacial floods to the Arctic where

communities grapple in a fast winding

sea ice sheets the large Delta's of the

Mekong the Ganges the Amazon the Nile

where lives in livelihoods are ground to

the hills of Central America that

confront similar monstrous hurricanes

the vast savannahs of Africa where

climate change as likewise become a

matter of life and death as food in

water becomes scarce not to forget the

monster storms in the Gulf of Mexico and

the eastern seaboard of North America as

well as the fires that have raised down

under and if that is not enough they may

want to see what has happened to the

Philippines now mr. president I need not

elaborate in the science as dr. Pachauri

has done all done that already for us

but it tells us simply a climate change

will mean increased potential for more

intense tropical storms and this will

have profound implications and many of

our communities especially those who

struggle against the twin challenges of

the development crisis and the climate

crisis n Taif UN's such as Haiyan and

its impacts represent a sobering

reminder to the international community

that we cannot afford to delay climate

action Warsaw must deliver on enhancing

ambition and should muster the political

will to address climate change and build

that important bridge towards Peru and

Paris it may it might be said that it

must be poetic justice that the typhoon

haiyan was so big that its diameter span

the distance between Warsaw and Paris

mr. president in Doha we asked if not us

then who if not now then when

if not here then where but here in

Warsaw we may very well ask these same

four tried questions

what my country is going through as a

result of this extreme climate event is

madness the climate crisis is madness

mr. president we can stop this madness

right here in Warsaw it is the 19th Kop

but we might as well stop counting

because my country refuses to accept

that a cop 30 or a cop 40 will be needed

to solve climate change and because it

seems that despite the significant gains

we have had since the UNFCCC was born 20

years hence we continue to fall short in

fulfilling the ultimate objective of the

convention now we find ourselves in a

situation where we have to ask ourselves

can we ever attain the ultimate

objective of the convention which is to

prevent dangerous anthropogenic

interference with a climate system by

failing to meet the objective of the

convention me we may have ratified our

own doom and if we have failed to meet

the objective of the convention we have

to confront the issue of loss and damage

loss and damage is a reality today

across the world and developed country

emissions reductions targets are

dangerously low and must be raised

immediately but even if these were in

line with the demand of producing 40 to

50 percent below 1990 levels we will

still have locked in climate change and

we still would need to address the issue

of loss and damage sir president I beg

your indulgence as I continue this

statement we find ourselves at a

critical juncture and the situation is

that even the most ambitions emissions

reductions by developed countries who

should have been taking the lead in the

last two decades will not be enough to

avert climate crisis it is now too late

too late to talk about the world being

able to rely on annex 1 countries to

solve the climate crisis we have entered

a new era that demands global solidarity

in order to fight climate change and

ensure that the pursuit of sustainable

human development remains at the fore of

the global community's efforts this is

why the means of implement

datian for developing countries becomes

ever so crucial we cannot sit and stay

helpless staring at this international

climate stalemate it is now time to

raise ambition and take action we need

an emergency climate pathway mr.

president I speak for my delegation but

I I speak speak for the countless people

who will no longer be able to speak for

themselves after perishing from the

storm I speak also for those who have

been orphaned by the storm

I speak for those of the people now

raising it's time to save survivors and

alleviate the suffering of the people

affected we can take drastic action now

to ensure that we prevent a future where

super typhoons become a way of life

because we refuse as a nation to accept

a future where super typhoons like

Haiyan become a way of life

we refuse to accept that running away

from storms evacuating our families

suffering the devastation misery

counting our death become a way of life

we simply he refused to mr. president

even in the context of the obvious

imperative for adaptation my country

does not come with empty hands the

Philippines had enacted the renewable

energy law which mandates establishment

Ophidian tariffs for renewable energy

with the aspiration of doubling a

renewable energy capacity by 2020 and

tripling it by the year 2030 pursuant to

our national renewable energy program

now as has become very clear the

Philippines grapples with serious

challenges in the face of climate

impacts it may be unreasonable to ask

the ordinary Filipino to bear the burden

of increased power rates because of

feed-in tariffs until renewables reach

grid parity I challenge our friends our

partners from developed countries to

finance this incremental cost of the

portion of the Philippine feed-in tariff

that would otherwise be paid for by the

impoverished electricity consumer and

only until renewables reach grid parity

with fossil fuel or conventional fuels

we call this our socialized feed-in

tariff by our estimate

is only in the neighborhood 500 million

dollars we estimate also that renewables

will reach grid parity by 2020 if

developed countries would finance this

cost we can triple our renewable energy

capacity by 2030 if the well developed

countries will gladly come forward to

provide the resources for this we will

be ready to inscribe this as our

nationally appropriate mitigation action

because we believe in our nobles we

believe in sustainable development and

because we believe that solving climate

change is our moral duty this moral duty

is applicable to all parties now mr.

president if you will allow me I wish to

speak on a more personal note super

typhoon Haiyan perhaps unknown to many

here made landfall in my own family's

hometown in the devastation is

staggering I struggle to find words even

for the images that we see but on the

news coverage and I struggle to find

words to describe how I feel about the

losses up to this hour i agonize waiting

for words the fate of my very own

relatives what gives me renewed strength

and great relief is that my own brother

has communicated to us and he had

survived the onslaught in the last two

days he has been gathering bodies of the

dead with his own two hands he is very

hungry and weary as food supplies find

it difficult to arrive in that hardest

hit area sir president this last two

days there are moments when I feel that

I should rally behind climate advocates

who peacefully confront those

historically responsible for the current

state of our climate these selfless

people who fight coal exposed themselves

to freezing temperatures or blood oil

pipelines in fact we are seeing

increasing frustration and thus more

increased civil disobedience the next

two weeks these people and many around

the world

service our conscience will again remind

us of this enormous responsibility to

the youth here who constantly remind us

that their future is in peril the

climate heroes who risk their life

reputation personal liberties to stop

drilling in polar regions into those

communities standing up to unsustainable

in climate disrupting sources of energy

we stand with them we cannot solve

problems at the same level of awareness

that created them as dr. Pachauri

alluded to Einstein earlier we cannot

solve climate change when we seek to

spew more emissions sir president and I

express this with all sincerity in

solidarity with my countrymen who are

struggling to find food back home and

with my brother who has not had food for

the last three days with all due respect

mr. president and I mean no disrespect

for your kind of potala tea I will now

commence a voluntary fasting for the

climate this means I will voluntarily

refrain from eating food during this cup

until a meaningful outcome is inside

until concrete pledges have been made to

ensure mobilization of resources for the

Green Climate Fund we cannot afford a

fourth cup with an empty GCF until the

promise of the operationalization of a

loss and damage mechanism has been

fulfilled until there is assurance on

finance for adaptation until we see real

ambition and climate action in

accordance with the principles we have

so up upheld mr. president this process

under the UNFCCC has been called many

many names it has been called a farce it

has been called an annual carbon

intensive gathering of useless frequent

fliers it has been called many names and

this hurts but we can prove them wrong

the UNFCCC can also be called the

project to save the planet it has also

been called saving tomorrow today a

couple of years ago and today we say I

care we can fix this we can stop this

madness right now right here in the

middle of this football field and stop

moving the goal posts mr. president your

excellency

Honorable Minister my delegation calls

on you most respectfully to lead us in

let Paul and doir so be remembered

forever as the place where we truly

cared to stop this madness if this is

our imperative here in Warsaw you can

rely on my delegation how can humanity

rise to this occasion mr. president I

still believe we can Thank You mr.

president

thank you

Thank You Philippines for a great speech

I will invite now now to make a

statement thank you