Climate campaigners in the Philippines held lightning rallies near the US Embassy in Manila to demand accountability from President Joe Biden’s administration, saying the US government fails to fulfill its climate finance obligations to the peoples of the Global South.
“The United States is the largest emitter of greenhouse gasses. A report on the world’s key emitters found that the US has cumulatively produced more CO2 than any other nation, contributing more to human-caused climate change than any other nation over the course of history,” said Lidy Nacpil, coordinator of Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD).
“Countries in the Global South that have the least emissions contribution face the worst impacts of the climate crisis. Communities in Asia are suffering massive losses and damages.”
“These countries have been demanding the US government to urgently deliver adequate, non-debt-creating, unconditional, and predictable climate finance through the financial mechanisms under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),” she said.
Aside from APMDD, leaders from Oriang Women’s Movement, Sanlakas, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, and Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (Spark), also demanded accountability from the Biden administration.
“The United States government, represented by President Biden, is the biggest bully and blocker of climate action. Despite the worsening climate crisis, the US is yet to deliver on its climate commitments while expanding fossil fuel extraction projects and continuing with domestic fossil fuel subsidies,” the group said in a statement.
According to the groups, the US government provided at least $165.89 billion worth of conditional and unconditional subsidies for fossil fuels in the years 2020 and 2021.
“This is why climate campaigners are ramping up efforts to demand accountability from the US to deliver its climate finance obligations to the peoples of the Global South,” Nacpil said.
Her group also accused the US as the largest emitter of greenhouse gasses.
Citing a report on the world’s key emitters, the Filipino climate advocates said the US “has cumulatively produced more CO2 than any other nation, contributing more to human-caused climate change than any other nation over the course of history.”
“Countries in the Global South that have the least emissions contribution face the worst impacts of the climate crisis. Communities in Asia are suffering massive losses and damages,” Nacpil said.
She added that these countries have been demanding the US government “to urgently deliver adequate, non-debt-creating, unconditional, and predictable climate finance through the financial mechanisms under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).”
“Instead, the US promotes false and highly politicized finance solutions in international climate spaces,” Nacpil added.