We, the concerned youth and most-impacted sectors of the Philippines, write to you today to express our support for the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) for Loss and Damage, and to emphasize the necessity of accountability from Global North countries for climate change-related impacts in countries like the Philippines.

 

The Philippines is one of the countries most impacted by the climate crisis. Year after year, we experience losses and damages that are extremely difficult to bounce back from. As you hold your meeting this week, we urge you to remember the communities most impacted and our calls for justice.

 

These are our demands:

For the WIM to recognize the historical responsibility of developed countries, (i.e., the “Global North,”) as the largest contributors to the climate crisis;

For these largest polluters to pay up as a form and a part of reparations to the countries and regions most impacted, (i.e., the “Global South”);

That these reparations should go to the most affected communities within the most impacted countries and regions;

That the rights and demands of internal and external climate refugees be recognized, and that damages to their lands be compensated, and their communities rehabilitated compliant to international human rights standards;

That the loss and damage fund must be financed in the form of unconditional grants, not predatory loans;

That these grants must be new and additional funding, not merely reallocated from existing funds;

That the specific mechanism for these calls to be operationalized must be ensured; and

That target communities should be given representative engagement under the UNFCCC process through a consultative body made up of impacted sectors as part of said mechanism above.

 

As the Philippines is among the most at-risk and most-impacted nations by the climate crisis, we firmly stand in solidarity with all other affected communities across the globe with whom we share our experience and recognize the importance of a Loss and Damage fund that properly caters to our needs.

 

We trust that you will conduct your assembly this week with these demands in mind; and that you continue to center these most vulnerable communities as we move forward working together towards a Loss and Damage fund that is truly pro-people and pro-planet.

 

Signed,