Legarda to convene environmental advocates at climate summit

Leaders and representatives of faith-based organizations, environmental groups, civil society, the academe, and government agencies will gather at the Senate on Friday for the Summit of Conscience for the Climate, Senator Loren Legarda said on Thursday.
Legarda said participants at the summit will be encouraged to sign the Call to Conscience for the Climate, a document that will be presented to each Head of Delegation attending the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris in December.
“Why do I care and how do I show that I care? These are the questions that speakers and participants will reflect on as they share their personal stories, beliefs and commitments in protecting the environment and caring for our planet,” the senator said in a statement.
“As leaders, ministers and representatives of UN member states prepare to debate, argue or agree at the climate negotiations in Paris in December, we need to take time to reflect on why we need an ambitious climate deal in the first place and what can we do to make it successful and how can we personally contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation,” she said.

During the summit, Legarda said, the Ifugao community will be recognized as Champions of Resilience. It will also be commended by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) as Champions for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) “for keeping their traditions alive and preserving their disaster risk management practices.”

Legarda, UN Champion for DRR and Climate Change Adaptation, and Dr. Jerry Velasquez, UNISDR Chief of Advocacy, will present the citation to the Ifugao people through their representatives, Ifugao Province Governor Denis Habawel, Dr. Serafin Ngohayon of the Ifugao State University, and the Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement (SITMo).

The ceremony will be followed by a performance of the Hudhud Chants, which symbolize special episodes in the life of the Ifugaos such as sowing and harvesting of rice, funeral wakes, and bone-washing rituals.

“The Ifugao community is blessed to be the custodians of the Hudhud Chants, one of UNESCO’s Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and the Rice Terraces of the Cordilleras, a UNESCO World Heritage Site,” Legarda said.

“The Ifugaos’ love for their heritage and dedication to preserve their traditions are important elements of maintaining the harmony between man and nature. Their formula for resilience is embedded in their culture and age-old traditions,” she added.

The senator and the French Embassy will also launch a photo exhibit entitled: “60 SOLUTIONS against climate change” by GoodPlanet Foundation head Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

“The exhibition aims to highlight solutions to global warming and opportunities to innovate as part of climate change adaptation through 21 photos by Arthus-Bertrand from his famous ‘Earth from Above’ series,” she said.

Legarda said the exhibit will be displayed until October 23, 2015 at the 2nd Floor Hallway of the Senate.

Source: Inquirer