Press Release
June 26, 2009

Sen. Legarda supports campaign for climate justice

Geneva (June 26) - Senator Loren Legarda deplored yesterday the great injustice suffered by the world's poorest and developing nations which she said "contribute least to the problem (of climate change) yet they bear and suffer most from the impact."

Loren, who attended the Second Session of the United Nation's Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction and its side event --Leaders' Debate at Forum in Human Impact of Climate Change -- issued the statement as she expressed her support to Kofi Annan's call for justice through his Global Alliance for Climate Justice.

"Those most vulnerable to climate change today are the world's poorest groups, since they lack the resources and means to cope with its impacts," said Loren, who met with Annan during the Leader's Debate which Annan himself had organized.

"It is a clear injustice that these groups suffer the brunt of the impacts of climate change without any responsibility for having caused it," lamented Loren.

She pointed out that 99% of the casualties due to climate change occur in developing countries but 50% of the world's least developed nations account for less than 1% of greenhouse emission which is the main cause of global warming.

The Global Alliance for Climate Justice, which is headed by the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, started speaking out for the cause of climate justice, which means ensuring that people everywhere are safe from danger and free from suffering due to climate change.

Loren also lamented the fact that the so-called climate change refugees come mostly from countries that suffered irreparable damage on their wealth due to climate change. They are also the ones forced to adjust in the battle against climate change.

These countries include Maldives, which she said is going carbon neutral in 10 years, Bhutan which has adopted cautious development within the concept of Gross national Happiness, the Asia Pacific region and the Philippines. Loren herself is at the forefront of championing the adoption of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation within the region as UN representative.

"Our current development approach must not further breed injustice. We need a new vision, an approach to development," said Loren. She stressed that developed countries must have the moral responsibility to technologically and financially assist developing countries in their climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction efforts to compensate for the inequity and injustice. Loren cited what the Global Humanitarian Forum had said that "ensuring the poor can live in safety means providing substantial additional support to these communities, a responsibility that falls to major polluters."

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