On November 11, 2013, the 19th Conference of Parties (COP19) on Climate Change opened in Warsaw, Poland. The top-level meeting of governments, with 195 member nations and global negotiators in attendance, were supposed to agree on the details of a new international and legally binding agreement to more effectively curb GHG emissions and eventually reduce global warming.

 

A few days earlier, super-typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) struck the Philippines, inflicting one of the worst tolls on its central islands in terms of loss of lives, homes, and livelihoods. Ms. Tetet Lauron of IBON International, who is also a member of the official Philippine delegation together with Commissioner Naderev Sano, joined hands with other CSOs in calling for solidarity and climate justice and not just sympathy from other delegations.

 

In a USTC 360 documentary entitled "A Climate Change Journey," Ms. Lauron speaks about the urgent need for action towards climate justice. Her message starts at 18:50, but the entire 24-minute video documentary is highly interesting and educational from start to finish.