#NowPH: Nov 25 declared Nat’l Day for Youth in Climate Action

MANILA, Philippines – #NowPH, the National Youth Commission’s (NYC) anti-climate change advocacy initiative, received support from President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday, November 17, as he declared November 25 as the National Day for Youth in Climate Action.

Proclamation No 1160 also made November 25 a yearly celebration of the youth’s role in fighting climate change.

NYC Chairperson Gio Tiongson described the proclamation as “a clear manifestation of the government’s concerted efforts that will provide opportunities to the youth to engage in activities that promote the adoption of a climate-smart lifestyle.”

Road to Paris

The proclamation comes as different member-countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) prepare for the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP 21) set to happen from November 30 to December 11.

NYC Commissioner Jose Sixto Dantes III said the APEC summit may already include discussions on climate change’s effects on the member economies. The biggest threat of climate change to APEC economies is the damage caused by natural disasters of increasing frequency and intensity. 

On an international scale, researchers say global warming would leave the global GDP 23% lower in 2100. As large storms storms continue to devastate parts of the world, research showed that it could worsen inequality and would create food shortages, particularly in the Philippines. (READ: How climate change threatens our food security)

Urgency is called for when it comes to climate change, especially considering that the Philippines is ranked second in the world in terms of vulnerability during disasters, according to the United Nations’ 2014 World Risk Report.

What can the youth do? 

#NowPH, a youth-led campaign to gather one million signatures from around the Philippines, calls on world leaders to act on the issue of climate change to prevent global warming from reaching 2 degrees celsius. (READ: #NowPH: Youth urged to combat climate change)

One of its projects was to invite Filipinos to pledge to do simple acts that would roll back the threat of climate change.

On November 25, the NYC will hold activities in Rizal High School in Pasig City where they will also display a human banner to send the youth’s message to world leaders.

MovePH, Rappler’s citizen engagement arm, will also hold a Twitter conversation on the 25th to raise awareness of climate change and to encourage Filipinos to bring their voices to Paris. –  With reports from Bea Orante/ Rappler.com