TACLOBAN, Philippines – Ahead of the 10th anniversary of Super Typhoon Haiyan, Greenpeace's flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, docks in Tacloban City to begin the 2023 Greenpeace Ship Tour in the Philippines.
Over the coming weeks, the Rainbow Warrior will honour the courage and determination of Filipino communities demanding climate justice by calling on the world's biggest oil and gas companies to pay for the loss and damage caused by extreme weather events like Haiyan.
"Super Typhoon Haiyan was an event that many in the Philippines will never forget. Ten years ago, more than 6000 people were killed and millions displaced. I know people who lost their homes and family members; and many continue to suffer the trauma that Haiyan brought," Greenpeace Philippines campaigner Jefferson Chua said.
"Communities in the Philippines that are least responsible for climate change are on the frontlines of the crisis. The cost of these deadly and economically devastating extreme weather events should be paid by the companies that have caused the crisis – not communities who have suffered the negative impacts of fossil fuels for little to no benefit."
The Rainbow Warrior's visit takes place in the lead-up to the United Nations' Climate talks (UNFCCC COP 28) to be held at the end of November in Dubai, where a loss and damage fund for climate damage will be discussed.
A 2023 report found that the world's top fossil fuel companies owe a total of US$99 trillion in climate loss and damage to compensate communities most affected by the crisis.
Meanwhile, the biggest investor-owned fossil fuel companies, including Shell, Exxon Mobil, BP, and Chevron, continue to rake in record profits, with the fossil fuel industry as a whole earning US$4 trillion in 2022. This comes at a time when world temperatures have reached record highs, and as global climate damage costs continue to soar.
To further highlight the stories of climate-impacted communities, Greenpeace Philippines is launching the "People's Museum of Climate Justice" alongside the tour. A living and growing digital space, the virtual exhibit will feature objects of memory, mementos, and art pieces contributed by climate survivors from across the Philippines, creatively illustrating their experiences of the climate crisis.
"While planetary problems require global solutions, action must start in the community. In a world that forces us to forget and ignore, sharing stories becomes a heroic act. The Rainbow Warrior and The People's Museum are great opportunities to keep telling stories that inspire us to act," said Jerx Aliposa of the Kankabato Collective, a local community organization in Tacloban City.
