Greenpeace urges Marcos to demand climate reparations after ICJ ruling

A landmark opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) could pave the way for Filipino communities to seek climate reparations from top global polluters, and Greenpeace is urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to take decisive action as he prepares for his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

Greenpeace challenged the President to hold fossil fuel companies accountable and to enact strong legislation such as the Climate Accountability (CLIMA) Bill. The call comes amid devastating flooding caused by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), which has been intensified by three tropical storms in just one week.

The ICJ just gave us a new weapon in the fight for climate justice. Will Marcos act? [photo credit: Noel Celis | Greenpeace]

ICJ opinion fuels call for global climate justice

More than 2.7 million Filipinos have already been affected by the storms, with at least 12 dead and infrastructure damage exceeding P3.7 billion. According to Greenpeace Senior Campaigner Virginia Benosa-Llorin, the ICJ ruling marks “a turning point in the march for climate justice” and could finally lead to legal consequences for major emitters.

The ICJ ruled that countries must regulate businesses for emissions damage, even if the harm occurs outside their borders. The court emphasized that the right to a clean and sustainable environment is fundamental to all other human rights, and that intergenerational equity must shape all climate-related obligations.

Climate accountability as a national priority

Greenpeace emphasized that Marcos would be “extremely negligent” to ignore this opportunity to lead in the global climate justice movement. The organization wants him to declare during his SONA that the Philippines will demand climate reparations and pass the CLIMA Bill.

“The message of the Court is clear: the production, consumption, and subsidizing of fossil fuels may violate international law,” said Benosa-Llorin. “Polluters must stop emitting and must pay for the harms they have caused.”

On Wednesday, Greenpeace held a creative protest in flooded areas of Rizal and Bulacan, where activists waded through submerged neighborhoods to highlight the rising human toll of climate inaction. The protest images have since gone viral on social media, fueling calls for President Marcos to act.