Almost a month since leaving Manila's Kilometer Zero and in time for Typhoon Haiyan's 10th commemoration, the Climate Justice Walk team finally reached Tacloban, 'Ground Zero' of Typhoon Haiyan (local name Yolanda)- the Philippines' deadliest case of extreme weather which claimed more than 6,000 lives in 2013. The team of 30 Climate Walkers were joined by a crowd of more than 500 composed of Haiyan survivors and local supporters who welcomed the team as they crossed the iconic San Juanico Bridge into Tacloban City in Leyte. [1]
Embarking on this journey on 8 October, the solidarity walk for Climate Justice covered a distance of roughly 1,000 kilometers, reminiscent of the 2014 Climate Walk that marked the 1st Haiyan anniversary. Enduring the harsh sun and occasional rains, the team traveled on foot, bike and ferry, and made 30 key stops where they were joined by civic and church leaders, raising awareness on climate action and Climate Justice in schools and parishes. As a direct result, Climate Emergency was declared in two of the stops – Albay and Catbalogan – as they both recognized the need for urgent climate action, phasing out fossil fuels, and for stronger global and national measures on loss and damages.
Joanna Sustento Bacsa, Activist and Haiyan Survivor said:
"Being a part of this year's Climate Justice Walk takes me back to 10 years ago when Tacloban was in complete shambles due to Typhoon Haiyan. My brother and I were walking aimlessly, looking for food, for shelter, and for our loved ones. The realization that you lost everything yet you survived gave no comfort, no destination. We walked along with others, yet I have never felt so alone. Now, a decade later, I find myself walking again but with a whole community undertaking a meaningful journey for Climate Justice. I am also walking as a wife and a first-time mom. I am no longer alone in this fight."
Yeb Saño, Lead Walker and Executive Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia said:
"The Climate Justice Walk does not end in Tacloban. Our real destination is in people's hearts and minds- for climate hope to take root and yield results. The Walk is a manifestation of the positive changes happening at the grassroots level. We note the invaluable initiatives and contributions of church leaders and civil society groups to reiterate calls to protect the environment and for systemic change from the ground up.
Most of all, we commend the leadership of the local governments of Albay and Catbalogan who made Climate Emergency declarations to make their cities and municipalities more climate-resilient and cease support for fossil-fuel projects, aligning with the Paris Agreement of limiting temperature rise to 1.5C to avoid the worst impacts of catastrophic climate change. Greenpeace believes that for climate justice to be realized, the world's biggest climate polluters must be held accountable and pay up for their contribution to the climate crisis."
The Philippines is precariously located just above the equator, where the eastern seaboard serves as a welcome mat for most of the tropical cyclones that devastate the Asia-Pacific every year. The country's Eastern Visayas region was defenseless against Haiyan's powerful winds of 305 to 313 kph, making it the strongest cyclone ever at the time of landfall. The storm was not only the deadliest but also the costliest at USD 12 billion.
While most Filipinos claim they have "little to sufficient knowledge about climate change", a recent survey found that 68% percent of respondents said they believed "climate change is dangerous to the environment", while 71% percent of respondents said that "climate change posed danger to their families".
The volunteer walkers and bikers witnessed firsthand the relentless heat and humidity affecting communities and their livelihoods such as farming, frequent power interruptions due to low energy reserves, and poor and inadequate water supply -just a few of the many challenges experienced by climate-impacted communities. With the constant threat of the climate emergency, local and national governments must work together with communities to create and roll out concrete plans for climate adaptation and mitigation.
