CHR inquiry seeks link on effects of climate change to human rights

March 30, 2018

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) held its first public hearing Wednesday probing alleged responsibility of major fossil-fuel companies or so-called “carbon majors” to climate change and how this impacts the human rights of Filipinos.

This is considered a landmark inquiry casting the issue of climate change within the human rights framework.  In his opening remarks, CHR Chaiperson Jose Luis Martin  Gascon said: "Among those who are suffering the most from the effects of climate change is the Philippines.  Nowhere has it been more dramatically demonstrated than in November of 2013, when our country was visited by Typhoon Haiyan or Yolanda. ” .

Petitioners comprising of victims of calamities and human rights groups testified during the hearing to  give accounts of how climate change has affected their lives and livelihood.

Rica Diamzon Cahilig, a 20-year-old student belonging to the Ayta Ambala indigenous group in Bataan, said climate change has depleted the forest, which they consider as their home and primary source of basic needs like food, water, and medicine.

Considering that Philippines is an agricultural country, among those who most bear the brunt of climate change are the farmers. Felix Pascua Jr., a farmer, lamented how climate change pushed them further into poverty.

Rosalina de Guzman, assistant chief of the Weather Services of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said the Philippines is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and ranks third in the world index.

“There is an increased frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall. The Philippines also has the most number of tropical cyclones. During El Niño, the cyclones intensify”, she explained.

The CHR’s inquiry on climate change started in the first part of 2016. This is in accordance with its mandate to investigate and monitor all matters concerning the rights of its citizens especially those who belong to the marginalized and vulnerable sectors

Through the inquiry, the CHR seeks to determine liability issue against companies that are not domiciled in the Philippines on the basis of trans-boundary effects of their business operations, to understand the business activities of so-called “Carbon Majors” with respect to their alleged impact on climate change, and to gather baseline scientific data and other information on climate change. DMS