Message to the World Leaders

Youth call on to Leaders of the world!

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Calling all passionate young Filipinos

Calling all passionate young Filipinos!

The Philippine Youth Delegation is now on its 3rd year in facilitating Filipino Delegates to
the Climate Change Negotiations. As we are now preparing for the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference COP17/CMP7 or the (17th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change Convention/ 7th meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol), the Philippine Youth Delegation is in need of passionate young individuals who will take part in this event. This will be from November 28‐ December 9, 2011 in Durban, South Africa.

For More Info CLICK HERE

To download form to apply CLICK HERE.

COP16 History in the Making- Article 6

The rockstars of Article 6:

Pauline Remouchamps (Belgium), Michaela Hogenboom & Gabe van Wijk (Netherlands), Ben Vanpeperstraete, Adriana Valenzuela; Government delegate of Dominican Republic and key negotiator for G77 & China for A6, Danny Hutley(UK); co-facilitator for A6 Youth constituency working group, Bernadette Fischler (WAGGS)

It was taken by surprise when the first consensus was reached at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, held in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico where 189 countries members of the Convention gathered to reach global agreements on climate change. At the end of the first week of the negotiations, a proposal for a decision on Article 6 of the Convention was approved under the leadership of the Dominican Republic and with the help of over 100 global youth.

Article 6 relates to “Education, training and public awareness about climate change.” This was most important for the young leaders. If countries were serious about taking steps towards a legally-binding agreement in the next year, then young people will have to be educated, aware and active participants in climate change in order to help governments with implementation. All of the youth constituency’s asks were included in the text, particularly non-formal education, youth participation in decision-making and funding for education programmes.

SBI Chair Robert Owen Jones presenting a gold star to Gambia contact group chair

The SBI Chair remarked that this is the first contact group in the history of COP to achieve a COP decision in 90 minutes. When it was successful, the SBI Chair presented a gold star to the Gambia contact group chair and the youth from the youth constituency gave out golden stars to the delegates.

The Article 6 team & negotiators after passing the draft decision

Young people are the most important capital in the world’s history to change the future of humanity. This success highlights that “young people are potent agents for change.” It was a celebration of ambition and the spirit of consensus moving the action on climate change forward.

“Young People deserve our full commitment — full access to education, adequate healthcare, employment opportunities, financial services and full participation in public life.” – Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon

http://uniteforclimate.org/2010/12/article-6-the-first-consensus-occurs-at-cop16

Video on Art6 passing at COP16

Philippine Youth Delegation at COP16 UN Climate Change Conference

The Philippine Youth Delegation has arrived in Cancun, Mexico for the Conference of Youth 6 and the Conference of Parties 16. We will be tweeting (follow us here) and blogging about the negotiations.

But before we get down to business, get to know the five delegates of the Philippine Youth Delegation.

Meet Esperanza Garcia, Founder and President of the Philippine Youth Climate Movement

Espie was born on September 16, in Cebu City. She blogs at EcoHope and tweets (@esperanzagarcia).

Projects/Affiliations:

· Official delegate of the Philippines at the UNFCCC COP15

· Co-Founder & Director of Climate Change Initiatives for the International Youth Council

· Founder of the Philippine Youth Climate Movement

· Climate Change consultant Philippine Senate Oversight Climate Change Committee

· Millenium Development Goals Awards Committee

· Development Associate of Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, organized the 7th Annual Youth Assembly at the United Nations Headquaters
· Design consulant for South-South News
· Journalist for South-SouthNews, UNICEF’s Unite for Climate Campaign & Climate Voice writer for Oxfam covering news from the UN General Assembly & Clinton Global Initiative.

This is Vivienne Zerrudo. You can call her Viv!

She is turning 23 on Dec. 4. We’ll be celebrating her birthday here!

Viv graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University, BS Environmental Science.

Projects/Affiliations:

The Law of Nature Foundation, Project Coordinator
Philippine Youth Environment Network, Advisor
Kanlungan Pilipinas, External Vice President
Clean Air Youth Alliance,
Ateneo Environmental Management Coalition,
Student Representative Core group member
Council of Organizations in the Ateneo, Health and Environment Cluster Head
Ateneo Environmental Science Society, Externals Vice President
Director of Alumni Affairs
Sustainable Development Solutions for Asia and the Pacific- Youth, Deputy Chair
Asia Pacific Roundtable on Sustainable and Consumption- Youth, Deputy Chair
Senior Thesis: The Ecological Footprint of the Loyola Schools
for the School year 2007-2008

And now, Desiree Llanos Dee, or Des. She and Viv know each other from Ateneo. Des graduated with a degree in BS Psychology.

Projects/Affiliations:

Philippine Youth Climate Movement Campaign Manager
Global Xchange Programme Team 107 (May- September 2010)
Voluntary Service Overseas Bahaginan and British Council
Youth Participation Team – London Borough of Hounslow, U.K.
Ocean Care Advocates, Inc., Cebu
Loyola Mountaineers Vice President (2009-2010)
Public Relations Officer (2008-2010)
Citizen’s Action for Reforestation Mindoro , Project co-head
Clean up Climbs, Project co-head
Senior Thesis: The Perceived Impact of the Biak-na-Bato Ecotourism Program on the Environmental Attitudes of the Local Hosts

And the only thorn among the roses, Christopher “Kester” Yu. He was born on September 11, 1986–long before the crisis that shook the entire world.

Projects/Affiliations:

Philippine Youth Climate Movement, Policy and Adaptation Director
Isko Cleans UP (ICU), Project Head
Philippine Youth Environment Network, Advisor
College of Sctonience Student Council, University of the Philippines
University Student Council, UP-Diliman,
Number 1 Councilor, 2009-2010
University of the Philippines Environmental Monitoring Laboratory
University of the Philippines Environmental Society, President
University of the Philippines Association of Biology Majors
University of the Philippines Marine Biological Society
University of the Philippines Geological Society
Capacity Building towards Caves, Karsts and Limestone Forest Biodiversity Conservation
Senior Thesis: Geologic Map of North Western Mindoro Occidental and the Geohazards attributed to Kaingin (slash and burn) in the Abra de Ilog Region

And then there’s me, Anna Oposa. I’m taking up English Studies at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. Because I’m a writer who is addicted to the Internet, I have been designated the position of Director for Media Relations of the Philippine Youth Climate Movement. I blog here and tweet here.

Projects/Affiliations:

Writer (Philippine Daily Inquirer 2BU Section, the Philippine Online Chronicles, CodeRED, Metro Magazine, Philippine Star, Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park, The Natural Shelf, BridalBook.ph, OfficiallyPhilippines.com)
Resource Speaker for seminars of environmental education, solid waste management, blogging
Isko Cleans UP, Co-Project Head
Global Legal Action on Climate Change, Program Coordinator
UP Marine Biological Society’s 2010 International Coastal Cleanup: KalikaSining, Project Head
UP Marine Biological Society’s 2009 International Coastal Cleanup: Saklolo Taklobo, Co-Program Head
Philippine Youth Ambassador to SEA countries and Japan, 35th Ship for the Southeast Asian Youth Program
Denso Youth for Earth Action 2010, Junior Facilitator
Denso Youth for Earth Action 2009, Participant

Forum on Global Climate Politics

Young & Future Generations Day COP16

Yesterday, December 2, was Young and Future Generations Day. The Philippine youth delegates joined the celebrations.

We showed support for the Kyoto Protocol (KP) by taking pictures with the Japanese youth.

Attended the Spokescouncil meeting, where every country has a represenatitive. Kester heads this one.

We were interviewed by students from Brown University for their website.

And we joined the dance in front of the Aztec building of Moon Palace, where negotiations are being held. It was lead by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGS). The dance and cheer went something like, “Woo! It’s hot in here! There’s too much carbon in the atmosphere. Take action, take action, and get some satisfaction!”

Back at the Cancunmesse, we participated in the “Our Future is Being Sold” Market. Different countries made signs and images of what we are selling by not addressing climate change. We, the Philippines, painted a reef of bleached corals. Our tagline was, “Life’s a b(L)each!” Unfortunately, it was taken away before we were able to take pictures with it. So we took pictures with the others.

At night, we headed to the Klimaforum for a party!

Today, back to work!

Video Blog of Philippine youth engaging in international climate negotiations:

Video Blog of Philippine youth engaging in international climate negotiations:

negotiating for survival

Tomorrow is the last day of the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

This morning, Kester and I had a photo op and press con with 350.org to send a very clear message that we need a little less conversation and a little more action. The ocean that has been sustaining us is now threatening to swallow us. We are running out of time.

And just when we thought we were also running out of hope, we saw this stretched across the Cancun sky.

The Earth will be fine without us, you know. It will heal and go on without us, as it has been for the last four billion years. Never mind if you don’t get the science, the figures, the facts, and the abstract concepts. All you need to know is that addressing climate change means negotiating for survival. Our survival.

Full story here.
More pictures here.

meeting with Sen. Pia Cayetano

Des, Karl, Kester, and I headed to the Senate yesterday to meet with Senator/Ironwoman Pia Cayetano. Love love love her.

We talked about working together after COP. She said we could focus on Taguig first, because her brother is the barangay captain, and her sister-in-law is mayor. We will be holding solid waste management workshops and climate change adaptation/mitigation seminars when we get back. We’ll also be researching on how to revive the biologically dead river in Taguig!

We’re looking forward to working with Sen. Pia!

Delegates meet with Sen. Loren Legarda

Youth delegates to the 16th Conference of Parties met with Sen. Loren Legarda last week, November 5, 2010 at the lobby of the Hotel Sofitel Philippine Plaza.

The delegates were given climate change “kits” that included speeches delivered and documentaries produced/narrated by Sen. Legarda. Included are “Now is the Time” and “Buhos,” directed by 2009 Cannes Best Director Brillante Mendoza.

They also discussed post-COP projects. The delegates, in cooperation with Luntiang Pilipinas, are expected to embark on a nationwide campaign to address climate change after the conference in Cancun.

L-R: Ms. Bek Evangelista, Anna Oposa, Esperanza Garcia, Sen. Loren Legar Kester Yu, Vivenne Zerrudo, and Desiree Llanos Dee