Greenpeace urges Marcos to demand climate accountability from big polluters amid storms

As the Philippines reels from torrential rains caused by Severe Tropical Storm “Crising” (international name: “Wipha”) and the southwest monsoon, Greenpeace Philippines is calling on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to stand firm on climate accountability and confront the world’s biggest climate polluters.

The Bicol Region, Eastern Samar, and nearby provinces have been battered by widespread flooding and landslides, with more heavy rainfall expected this week. The disaster coincides with the anticipated advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 23 regarding “the obligations of States in respect of climate change.” The Philippine government had earlier submitted that it is “committed to shaping a global framework that ensures justice for those most affected by the climate crisis and secures a sustainable future for all.”

Floodwaters inundate homes in Eastern Samar following heavy rains from Tropical Storm Crising [photo credit: Jilson Tiu | Greenpeace]

Greenpeace: Walk the talk on climate justice

Greenpeace climate campaigner Jefferson Chua said President Marcos Jr.’s upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA) will come at a time when Filipinos are “still finding the strength to fix their homes, care for the sick, and tend to their dead.”

“This should be a wake-up call for President Marcos Jr. to walk the talk on climate action and climate justice,” Chua said, noting the back-to-back destructive weather events continue to displace and devastate communities still recovering from past disasters.

He emphasized that the burden of climate impacts continues to fall heavily on ordinary Filipinos, while oil and gas companies—deemed the world’s largest polluters—continue to profit massively. “We cannot keep ignoring this injustice,” he added.

Push for CLIMA Bill and hold polluters accountable

Chua urged President Marcos to use his platform to pass the proposed Climate Accountability (CLIMA) Bill. The measure seeks to impose stricter corporate transition rules, establish a framework for loss and damage recovery, and force companies to take responsibility for their climate impacts.

“Greenpeace is calling on President Marcos to demand a fossil fuel phase-out and make climate polluters pay for losses and damages,” Chua said.

The group emphasized that enacting the CLIMA Law would not only strengthen the country’s climate policies but could also set a global precedent for holding major emitters accountable and protecting vulnerable communities from the worsening effects of the climate crisis.