More than 41,000 people have been displaced in the past two days from the impact of super typhoon Pablo (international code name: Bopha, Category 5) in the southern Philippines – meanwhile developed countries at COP18 continue to stall negotiations on reducing emissions that worsen extreme weather events and funding for developing countries to adapt to climate change.

The human impact of the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year has been devastating. Wind gusts of up to 195 kph (121 mph) have destroyed homes, power and communication lines, and led to mass evacuations in Mindanao. More than 155,000 people remained in temporary shelters late on Tuesday.

IBON International calls on the world’s leaders to show genuine solidarity not just to the Philippines, but also to poor people from other developing countries who are on the frontlines of the impacts of climate change by committing to deep and drastic emissions cuts, and substantial climate finance commitments.

IBON International Climate Justice officer Maria Theresa Nera-Lauron, said: “As the Philippines yet again suffers from the impacts of an extreme weather event, we call on the developed countries at COP18 to immediately turn their rhetoricinto reality and bring climate justice.

“As the historic emitters which have together contributed half of emissions since 1850, it is they who must take the lead in preventing further human catastrophes linked to climate change.

“The US and EU’s leadership of developed countries is needed immediately.”

The Philippines often features high on the list of the most climate-vulnerable countries. In 2011, when Typhoon Washi killed 1,500 people in Mindanao, it ranked 5th among the worst hit countries in terms of extreme weather events.

Developed nations have a responsibility to lead efforts on reducing carbon emissions and providing climate finance to mitigate against and adapt to climate change, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC Article 3.1). However, developed countries are refusing to commit to ambitious pledges on carbon emissions reductions under a renewed Kyoto Protocol – the treaty that is the cornerstone of emissions reductions. Many, including the US, look to have pulled out of an extended treaty altogether.

One piece of research presented at COP18 suggests more than 530,000 people havedied as a consequence of some 15,000 extreme weather events over the past 20 years, in addition to financial losses of more than US$2.5 trillion.

Notes to editors:

· IBON International is an international civil society organization based in the Philippines. Its mission is the capacity development of peoples’ movements around the world for human rights and democracy.

· IBON International coordinates the Campaign for People’s Goals for Sustainable Development (CPGSD). Organizations involved in the CPGSD include: the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the People’s Coalition for Food Sovereignty (PCFS), Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF), Asia-Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), Asian Students Alliance, International Migrants Alliance, Indigenous People’s Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), Latin American Network for Debt and Development (LATINDADD), Habitat International Coalition, Friends of the Earth-Indonesia. The CPGSD statement is available here: http://www.un-ngls.org/IMG/pdf/Final_CPGSD_statement_-EN.pdf

IBON International: http://iboninternational.org/

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Paul Quintos, , (international)

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