ACT News - Page 8 of 94

Innovative climate funds from shipping and air traffic a win-win

By Mattias Söderberg

The debate about innovative climate finance has been going on for years. Momentum is growing, and it is now time for ideas to become solutions. There are two concrete proposals on the table: to introduce levies on international transport – ships and planes. I believe that the proposals are win-win and ready to be rolled out. I hope governments will read this blog and be inspired by my recommendations.

A global levy on maritime transport

Let’s start with shipping. The shipping industry is responsible for two to three percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. This may seem like a small contribution, but if we want to tackle the climate crisis, all efforts are needed. The shipping industry must turn green.

At a summit this July the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will address the need for reduced emissions. One concrete proposal is to introduce a levy which could become an incentive for shipping companies to reduce emissions. Such a levy could also become a way to mobilize climate finance, potentially for loss and damage.

It should be noted that a levy on shipping could have negative effects. Increased costs could lead to higher prices on the commodities and foods transported by ship. This is why it is important to have a global agreement to channel the revenue back to poor and vulnerable countries. Without a global agreement, I fear national and regional initiatives will increase costs for the shipping industry without channelling revenues back to developing countries.

Loss and damage money from air traffic

Now let’s look at aviation. There have been many proposals and discussions about taxes on air traffic. The latest focuses on mobilizing money for climate-related loss and damage. Called “International Climate Solidarity Levies,” the proposal would introduce an air tax earmarked for climate-related loss and damage and send the money directly to the new loss and damage fund that was agreed upon at the last climate summit, COP27.

The proposal is not to negotiate a global tax, but to encourage governments, airlines, and other actors to introduce a solidarity levy. This would mobilize funds for people and communities facing climate-induced loss and damage. This kind of levy can be introduced relatively quickly, and it can become a good source of climate funding.

An air levy would not have the same effect on trade as a levy on shipping. Experience of previous air levies and changes in the cost of tickets shows that most air passengers can afford an additional price for their journey.

Win-win for the climate

The international debate on the two proposals is underway. I hope governments will engage and look for solutions. The fact that shipping and air traffic can contribute to climate action is a real win-win. On the one hand, the taxes will be an incentive for the two industries to become greener. On the other hand, it is an opportunity to mobilize climate money based on the principle that the polluter must pay. That is a real win-win for the climate.

Mattias Söderberg of DanChurchAid is co-chair of the ACT Alliance Climate Justice Reference Group.

Gender Transformative Safeguarding: Help us shape the new policy, guidelines and training

Safeguarding is not a tick-box activity, it requires the strengthening of our policies, guidelines and training to ensure the well-being and protection from harm for all. The ACT Safeguarding Community of Practice and ACT Gender Justice Programme have initiated a collaborative process with our members to broaden the scope of the ACT Safeguarding Policy, develop guidelines and create a new FABO blended learning course, to revitalise our practices and accountability mechanisms.

Why are you developing a new approach to safeguarding?
“To ensure “everyone’s right to life with dignity”, driven through effective organisational and programmatic practices, we need to prioritize safeguarding, as it helps overcoming abuse of power particularly towards gender and race. ACT has a policy on Child Safeguarding and Communities Data Safeguarding, which is implemented with the support of ACT Safeguarding Community of Practice (CoP) and Reference Group on Quality and Accountability. We must bring all safeguarding policies under one umbrella and expand the scope to broader safeguarding aspects, including gender transformative practices. This new model will also meet the recommendation from the ‘ACT’s Roadmap on Accountability Improvement and Compliance’ which advised streamlining compliance requirements and balancing compliance burden. We are aiming to channel the Safeguarding case reporting to the complaints mechanism as well. We are looking forward to the member’s engagement and contributions to this important piece of work.”Rizwan Iqbal, Global Accountability and Safeguarding Coordinator

How can my organisation be involved?

We kindly ask ALL members to complete the survey below by 16 June 2023, which will shape the work going forward (in English / in Spanish / in French). If you have any difficulties accessing the survey please email corinne@gcps.consulting
Please express your interest in one or more of our focus group discussions here by 2 June 2023, which are: (1) Leadership, (2) Human Resources/Communications, (3) Safeguarding Focal Points / Risk Management, (4) Programme Design / Operational Staff, (5) Monitoring and Evaluation, and (6) Cross-cutting group in Spanish.

How will my input contribute to the process?

Your contributions are critical to:

Determine the scope of the new safeguarding policy and good practice guidelines
Understand what key elements should be included in the blended learning programme
Obtain information on resources or tools that you use that we should consider in the development of the policy, good practice guidelines and blended learning programme
Consider your current strengths, issues and challenges in safeguarding to inform setting standards in the policy that can be achieved by all

We would like to express our sincere thanks to our members involved in the Steering Group – Australian Lutheran World Service, Anglican Overseas Aid, Act Church of Sweden, Global Mission Partners, for funding this initiative, and Community World Service, Salvation Army, and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission, for providing leadership. GCPS Consulting is providing the technical team to deliver the outputs.

If you have any questions, please contact ACT Alliance:

Rizwan Iqbal, Global Accountability and Safeguarding Coordinator, rizwan.iqbal@actalliance.org
Rachel Tavernor, Gender Justice Programme Strategist,
rachel.tavernor@actalliance.org

Season of Creation 2023 global launch June 5

Spanish and French versions of the following text. Please share in your networks.

The ecumenical Season of Creation will be celebrated by parishes and faith communities around the world from September 1 to October 4, 2023. ACT Alliance contributes to the Celebration Guide and the annual theme, living out our faith-based and ecumenical commitments to achieving climate justice. Parishes and faith communities are invited to organise their own events and share them with the Season of Creation. Here are Season of Creation events that took place around the world in 2022.

The Season of Creation theme for 2023 is “Let Justice and Peace Flow,” drawn from the cry of the prophet Amos: “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5: 24). As people of faith, we are called to join the river of justice and peace, to take up climate and ecological justice, and to speak out with and for communities most impacted by climate injustice and the loss of biodiversity.

On June 5, the Celebration Guide will be introduced in a global webinar to be streamed on YouTube. ACT Global youth CoP co-coordinator Patricia Mungcal, of ACT member the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, will introduce the advocacy section. The Celebration Guide will then be made available in many languages, including Spanish, French, and Arabic, on the Season of Creation website . Information about the webinar will be posted on the website and on the Season of Creation YouTube site closer to the date.

There will be Global Prayer Celebrations on September 1 and October 4. The YouTube link for these events will be posted on the Season of Creation website closer to those times.

Please share this information in your networks and with your members.

ACT El Salvador Forum supports request for precautionary measures before the IACHR for Ciudad Valle el Ángel Urban Development Project

The ACT Alliance El Salvador Forum backs and supports the Water Forum and the Salvemos Valle El Ángel Collective, communities, and rural water boards in their request for preventative measures against the Salvadoran State for failing to protect the human rights to a healthy environment, water, life, personal integrity, and others before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

Due to the illegality of the Ciudad Valle El Ángel urban development project and others in the entire northern fringe of the San Salvador Volcano and the seriousness of the damage caused by these projects to the environment and to the communities that reside there, the Churches and member organizations of the El Salvador Forum of the ACT Alliance have carried out prophetic, legal and political actions before the different instances that make up the Salvadoran legal system, with the purpose of announcing, alerting, denouncing and, finally, protecting the aquifers of the Chacalapa River, Valle El Ángel , Rio San Antonio and del Playón in San Juan Opico.

To date, legal-political actions have been carried out in instances such as the Environmental Chamber, investigation notices before the Attorney General, complaints before the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), letters to the Council of Mayors of the Metropolitan Area of San Salvador (COAMSS), complaints to the Municipalities of Nejapa, Apopa, Quezaltepeque, San Juan Opico; letters to the National Administration of Aqueducts and Sewers (ANDA), unconstitutionality claims and writ of protection filed by El Foro del Agua and El Colectivo Salvemos Valle El Ángel before the Constitutional Chamber, among others.

The El Salvador Forum and its member organizations condemn that the result of these actions has been favorable to business and economic groups and negative for the interests of the vulnerable population, particularly, considering that even though the request for amparo was admitted, the constitutional court did not decree the precautionary measures that the communities requested. An example of this was the resolution of November 5, 2021, issued by the Constitutional Chamber, where it notified the organizations of the admission of the amparo claim, favoring large extractive urban planning companies, so that they could continue with the work of their projects.

As the El Salvador Forum, we accompany and support the request for precautionary measures that the Water Forum and the Salvemos Valle El Ángel Collective have presented to the IACHR, a request that has a deeply human, Christian and citizen character, but above all of maximum urgency given the situation of irreparable damage due to the progress of various projects carried out in the territory, such as: 1. Ciudad Valle el Ángel urban project; 2. Valle Dulce urban project; 3. Project Center for Adoration of the Virgin of Fatima; 4. Paseo del Prado Urban Project -Phase III; 5. Expansion of Integration Plaza; and 6. Roundabout integration overpass.

The El Salvador Forum of the ACT Alliance requests that the environmental permits for the six projects listed in this statement be suspended. It also pledges to keep spreading the good news and condemning actions that harm families’ livelihoods, agro-industrial activities, agriculturally productive soils, and the replenishment of aquifers that are essential to life.

Click here for statement in Spanish and English

LAC Forums tackle migration and displacement

This February, selected representatives from each of the Latin American and Caribbean forums met for an ACT Alliance event called “Towards Joint Action: Migration and Displacement in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Participants identified emerging challenges related to human mobility in the region and determined next steps to strengthen joint action.

Eight commitments emerged from this important event: four in humanitarian aid and four in advocacy. “We are happy to announce that we have been working hard to make those commitments a reality,” says LAC Regional Representative Claudia Espinosa. “We are moving forward.”

The event reports are here,

LAC Migration Report English: ACT Report Migration English

LAC Migration Report Spanish: ACT Reporte Migración Español

Please contact claudia.espinosa@actalliance.org should you require the annexes to the report, available in English and Spanish.

ACT Palestine Forum statement: Calling that Christians Have Unimpeded Access to Jerusalem During Easter Celebrations

The ACT Alliance is asking all people of good will to pray and act in solidarity with people in the Holy Land who will be seeking access to holy sites in Jerusalem during Easter and Ramadan time to ensure that freedom of worship is protected.

During the Holy Fire Saturday celebrations, tradition has always been that Christians- from all denominations- gather on the Orthodox Patriarchate’s rooftop. Once the light is out from the empty tomb, Christians share it from each other’s candles, and the light is taken to their homes and other towns. The light is also taken abroad to Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and Greece- to name a few countries.

The 2022 Holy Fire Saturday celebrations witnessed the most unprecedented restrictions since the occupation began in 1967. Israeli police sealed off the Christian Quarter in Jerusalem’s Old City and prevented access to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and Orthodox Patriarchate. Hundreds of police officers manned no less than 15 checkpoints inside a radius of 500 meters. Clergy were not respected and had difficulty accessing the Old City, Coptic Christians from Egypt and other pilgrims were the subject of targeted harassment at the Jaffa Gate area, and local community members were beaten up at the checkpoints.

Ahead of the 2022 celebrations, Israeli police announced that the numbers will be limited to 1000 worshipers inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and 500 on the Orthodox Patriarchate’s rooftop. The Patriarchate refused these measures, since the usual number of participants is ten to eleven thousand people. The Patriarchate issued a statement calling on the faithful to come to Jerusalem’s Old City, and not to succumb to fear and intimidation by the police.

The 2022 violence and restrictions by Israeli police drew strong reactions worldwide. The World Council of Churches, as well as the local Heads of Churches, issued solidarity statements and called for respect of the status quo and religious freedom in Jerusalem. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres issued a statement emphasizing the need to “protect and respect the status quo in the holy sites.” Eight Members of Congress sent a letter to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, asking the Biden Administration to protect religious freedom and Christian presence in Jerusalem.

The police had announced a weak excuse ahead of the Holy Fire Saturday celebrations, that the aim was to control the numbers for safety purposes. Throughout history, the only incident due to crowds inside the Church of the Holy Sepulture happened in 1834. Before the 1967 occupation, Christians would arrive by private cars from Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. Moreover, the Jordanians used to deploy a small number of security officers, and the celebrations went on peacefully and joyfully.

During the week before, the 2022 Latin Palm Sunday procession was stopped suddenly by Israeli police, as the celebrants were on their way to the Christian Quarter, and in what amounted to yet another violation of Jerusalem’s historical and religious status quo. The road was closed as the scout groups and the faithful were carrying their palms, chanting their hymns, and praying while they prepared to enter Jerusalem. The faithful tried to reason with the police, but they were kept waiting for nearly one hour until the police decided to reopen the road.

We call for the protection of the rights of Christians – irrespective of denomination – to exercise religious rituals in Jerusalem freely, and that Christians from the West Bank and Gaza have unimpeded access to the city. Orthodox Holy Fire Saturday will be on 15 April 2023. We urge the Government of Israel not to impose checkpoints, and that the police refrain from using violence against Christian worshipers and clergy. Moreover, Muslim rights must be respected in terms of unimpeded access to Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan.

Download a PDF version of the statement.

During solidarity visit to Türkiye, ACT and WCC witness great needs yet great collaboration: “the churches are all working together”

After returning from a solidarity visit to Türkiye, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay and ACT Alliance general secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria appear in a video interview speaking about what they saw, how churches are working together, and their unique reflections on their visit—held 4-6 April—took place during western Holy Week.

Accompanied by Laki Vingas, archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and former elected representative of minority foundations in Türkiye, they visited Mersin, Iskenderun, and Antioch.

“The WCC and ACT Alliance’s presence in these particular places indicate that we care, we are concerned about what has taken place, and we want to find out how we can actually be of assistance,” said Pillay. “I might also stress that it was important for us to do this together.”

Both Pillay and Bueno de Faria said that they were very sad to see the devastation and damage left by the quake, which killed over 45,000 people in Türkiye alone. There is grave need related to the lack of food, water, and healthcare, and many first responders continue to work under extremely aggravated circumstances.

“What stood out to me first was the powerful impact of the earthquake on the infrastructure and the life of the people,” said Bueno de Faria, who is a survivor of earthquakes in Central America in 2001. “Comparing what I saw in Türkiye, it was shocking to see what people faced and the stories about how people were affected directly or indirectly and also communities as a whole.”

Watch the full interview

Bueno de Faria said that ACT Alliance is responding to the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable both in Türkiye and Syria through ACT’s appeal, which has raised almost $8.5M to date. Churches play a vital role in humanitarian response as they are integrated in the communities, able to provide key needs assessment data to responders, and food, shelter, cash assistance, psychosocial support, and much more direct aid to affected families.

Pillay and Bueno de Faria met many people with uncertain futures and are concerned—particularly in Antioch—that people will not return, and the historic city will lose its lively Christian presence.

“Much time and effort is going to be put into the reconstruction of people’s homes and churches and buildings, and so forth,” assured Pillay. “One of the great things happening at the moment, from what we have seen, is the great ecumenical collaboration. The churches are all working together.”

Being in Türkiye during Holy Week was an important time for reflection, Pillay concluded.

“I could reflect on the suffering of Jesus and then reflect on the suffering of people who have been displaced from their homes and their livelihoods, and where the earthquake has robbed them of their continuity of life,” he said.

ACT Syria appeal 2023

“ACT Alliance, WCC delegation on solidarity visit to Türkiye” (ACT/WCC news release 6 April 2023)

More photos of the solidarity visit

ACT Alliance, WCC delegation on solidarity visit to Türkiye

A delegation from the World Council of Churches and ACT Alliance is visiting Türkiye this week, expressing solidarity and support for churches on the ground responding to grave needs in the wake of the 6 February earthquake.

Visiting communities in southern Türkiye from 4-6 April, the delegation met with churches in Mersin, Iskenderun, and Antioch, including communities in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, Latin Catholics and others.

“The visit is tremendously symbolic during western Holy Week, and during the last week of Great Lent in the eastern calendar,” said WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay. “It is really sad to see the devastation and damage brought about by the earthquake in Türkiye. Apart from the destruction of buildings, homes, properties and churches are the emotional and psychological scars endured by many people who have lost loved ones and almost everything.”

Pillay said: “We visited Mersin, Iskenderun, and Antioch. I was deeply broken to see most of Antioch totally destroyed and now very empty. Church leaders are very concerned about the diminishing numbers of Christians in Türkiye and now whether Christians will return to this land that has so much of biblical history.” He added “We pray that they would be able to continue to sustain a lively Christian presence in this very historic city.”

“The greatest need right now is to provide housing for the displaced people and funding to rebuild the destroyed cities,” underlined Pillay. “The churches are trying to build temporary houses for people and seek assistance.”

In the wake of the earthquake, there is grave need related to the lack of food, water, and healthcare, and many first responders continue to work under extremely aggravated circumstances.

The quake in Türkiye and Syria caused enormous destruction in terms of both lives and property: in Türkiye alone, 45 thousand people died under the over 230,000 collapsed buildings, 1.7 million were forced into tents, nearly 3 million were made homeless, and the livelihoods of some 9 million people were severely affected.

ACT Alliance general secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria said: “In the aftermath of the earthquake, churches did what they have always done—opened their doors, their hearts, and their hands to help their neighbours who were affected by this tragic event.”

Bueno de Faria added, “During this visit, we have seen the commitment of the churches to this work, to continuing to serve those impacted by the earthquake in the spirit of ecumenical diakonia.” He concluded, “The need of international financial support is critical, as the reconstruction will take time and will be costly.”

ACT Alliance partners and many other churches across the world have raised funds and sent humanitarian experts to conduct assessments and prepare relief, many closely cooperating with local partner organizations in the region.

According to an ACT Alliance situation report, the priority needs of earthquake-affected people are rehabilitation and repair of damaged homes, mental health and psychosocial support, food assistance, hygiene and dignity kits, shelter, water, sanitation, food, and cash assistance.

Many children continue to exhibit signs of distress, and there remains a significant need for psychosocial support services, recreational activities, child-friendly spaces, medical aid, and services for people with disabilities and the elderly.

Pillay concluded, “We encourage the WCC members and others to offer continued prayers and support for the people in Türkiye and other parts of the world affected by earthquakes and disasters. During this time of Easter, we are reminded that the suffering servant is with the suffering people of God on earth. May the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, give us hope and peace in these troubled and difficult times. In Christ is our hope!”

The WCC-ACT delegation is comprised of Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, general secretary, World Council of Churches; Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, general secretary, ACT Alliance; and Laki Vingas, archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and former elected representative of minority foundations in Türkiye.

More photos from the trip can be found here.

ACT’s revised Syria 2023 appeal, which includes the earthquake response, can be found here.

The WCC’s article on the appeal can be found here.

MENA mainstreams Quality, Accountability and Safeguarding

Workshop participants share their experiences applying Quality, Accountability and Safeguarding to their organisations. PHOTO: ACT

By Rizwan Iqbal and Uma Narayanan

A recent three-day Quality, Accountability and Safeguarding (QAS) mainstreaming workshop brought together senior managers from ACT Middle East and North Africa (MENA) members. Their focus: how to increase the effectiveness of their organisations’ humanitarian assistance and development work. Hosted by the ACT Palestine Forum in Antalya, Turkey, invitations were extended to a range of ACT members, including the Iraq Forum.

ACT provides ongoing support to help members achieve compliance with the full suite of QAS programmes: Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), the Sphere Standards, Safeguarding and the commitments of the Humanitarian Standards Partnership (HSP). The international CHS and Sphere Standards are mandatory for all ACT members under ACT’s Quality and Accountability Framework. The Humanitarian Standards Partnership (HSP) contains a set of nine standards, one which is Sphere. ACT members are encouraged to use and refer to the HSP tools. Safeguarding is a key aspect of QAS.

The workshop was an opportunity for participants to review accountability from a strategic perspective and examine the standards’ commitments. They explored how to position CHS in their organisation, as support from leadership and the entire organisation is key to the success of QAS mainstreaming. They also had a chance to review and revise their QAS mainstreaming efforts using CHS as the main reference tool. Those who were further along in their QAS mainstreaming journey shared their experiences with others. “In the ACT MENA Forum, we work with each other and not for each other, says Father Meletius Shattahi of ACT Syrian member GOPA-DERD. “We avoid the ‘big brother’ syndrome.”

Participants returned to their organisations with a draft action plan and a holistic view of how to initiate and advance QAS mainstreaming. “The workshop was a platform for staff from the same organisation to have a meaningful conversation on those areas where they were doing well and those areas where they need to work differently,” says Samy Khoury of MECC’S DSPR.

Participants also noted the following challenges in applying QAS commitments:

Commitment One: This stresses the importance of understanding the context and real needs of the affected population, but there is pressure to focus instead on funders’ priorities.
Commitment 2: Access is a major issue in the MENA region. There is room for improvement in advocacy.
Commitment 5: It is mandatory for ACT members to have a Complaints Response Mechanism (CRM) in place. ACT MENA members are at different stages of implementing such a mechanism. The prevailing culture of the organisations and the community is to not raise complaints. Mainstreaming CRM also requires technical and financial resources.
Commitment 8: Most organisations do not have competency-based Human Resources (HR) practices. Not all organisations have a dedicated HR expert to support accountability mainstreaming here.

“Compliance is critical,” says Hakam Awad of HEKS. “But an over-focus on compliance should not compromise the actual delivery and impact of the humanitarian response.”

Rizwan Iqbal is the ACT Alliance Global Accountability and Safeguarding Coordinator. Uma Narayanan is an independent consultant

Philippines: Accountability needed to achieve climate justice

By Nerisse Klaire Kassey Pamaran, National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP)

There is assistance for those affected by typhoons, but organisations cannot meet all the needs created by the climate crisis. Climate justice includes reducing emissions and just climate financing for the most vulnerable countries. PHOTO: NCCP

Anamarie Rivera, a mother of four, had just given birth to her youngest daughter when last September’s Super Typhoon Noru hit her hometown of Jaen, Nueva Ecija in the Philippines. “We went to my sister-in-law’s house when the winds got stronger”, she says. “I was only able to get my kids out … I wasn’t able to save any of my belongings.” Anamarie’s house was made from light materials with a makeshift roof of galvanized iron, a type of housing that is common
in Filipino communities living in poverty.

The typhoon struck several provinces in the northern part of the Philippines, causing widespread damage not only to housing, but to farms and the livelihoods of farming communities. “It completely destroyed our crops,” says Ashley Arante, whose mother worked in the rice fields. “We had a hard time meeting our daily expenses afterwards.”

The stories of Anamarie and Ashley illustrate just two of the struggles endured by millions of Filipinos affected by the climate crisis. Climate change impacts are measured not only by the strength of typhoons, but also by the lasting impact they have on already-vulnerable communities.

In the case of Super Typhoon Noru, aid came from the most rural of local churches through to international agencies. ACT Alliance responded to the immediate needs of typhoon victims through the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP). But given the typhoon’s extensive and lasting damage, organizations can only do so much.

On average, at least twenty typhoons make landfall in the Philippines every year. Five of these will be destructive. This destruction has become such a normal occurrence in marginalized Filipino communities that they are being praised worldwide for their resilience and optimism in otherwise hopeless scenarios.

According to the Global Climate Risk Index 2021, the Philippines is one of the countries that is most vulnerable to the long-term impacts of climate change. The country must address the loss and damage induced by the climate crisis and implement adaptation and mitigation measures to achieve a people-centered, low-carbon future.

The Philippines’ contribution to world greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is minuscule compared to the G20, yet studies show that the country’s emissions increased by 114 percent from 1990 to 2017, largely due to the energy and industry sectors. The Philippines needs to take genuine steps towards climate crisis mitigation. This includes banning practices such as deforestation, illegal mining and logging, and plastic waste pollution, which are known to harm the environment. The country must also address the vulnerabilities of most Filipino people, who live in poverty, and strengthen their adaptation capacities at the local level.

At the global level, the NCCP believes that the climate crisis must be addressed by holding major GHG contributors accountable for the impacts of climate change. The climate crisis is “a consequence of the historical impact of the patterns of consumption and industrialization by what are now the wealthiest and so-called ‘developed’ nations in the world,” they say.

To be accountable, the wealthiest nations must use climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building to support the most vulnerable countries, such as the Philippines. They must also keep their own carbon footprint in check.

Nerisse Klaire Kassey Pamaran is a youth volunteer with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), an ACT member.