The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change which has already wreaked havoc on the lives of millions of Filipinos who have faced super typhoons like Haiyan. While the Philippines is one of the lowest contributors to climate emissions globally, it disproportionately bears the brunt of it all. The energy sector, especially coal, is the highest contributor of climate emissions. Filipino social movements, organized under Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), have created a bottom-up cross-sectoral country wide movement for climate justice, in order to hold their government accountable, defend human rights and organize vulnerable sectors, and push for a just transition.

PMCJ includes over 150 national networks, environmental NGOs, faith-based organizations and popular organizations of peasants, fishers, workers, Indigenous Peoples, and women.  Since 2013, PMCJ has successfully stopped the creation of nine coal plants and stalled the functioning of six existing coal plants. PMCJ has supported 14 local jurisdictions to declare themselves coal free and successfully supported front line communities in 23 of 29 coal plants in the Philippines. In 2017, PMCJ filed Philippines first historic climate action suit against the World Bank’s private finance arm for its role in the expansion of coal in the country and paved the way for several fossil fuel divestment campaigns.
 
Cover photography by Ymi Castel