Civil society groups in the Philippines are gearing up for a massive display of solidarity on Saturday, December 9 as the 28th Conference of Parties in Dubai unfolds.

In a press conference on December 7, the groups announced that they would hold simultaneous mass actions in 55 areas across the country as part of the ‘Global Day of Action for Climate Justice.’

The mobilizations are coordinated by a coalition of groups, including the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD), the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), and the Ecological Justice Interfaith Movement (ECOJIM), among others.

The groups said collective efforts aim to amplify the “chorus of global voices” pressuring governments and decision-makers as COP28 enters its crucial phase in Dubai.

Lidy Nacpil, APMDD Coordinator, emphasized the need to escalate pressure on governments to adopt real solutions to the climate crisis.

Nacpil called out the world’s wealthiest countries, particularly the Global North, for evading responsibilities, supporting fossil fuel expansion, and promoting insufficient solutions.

“Governments have been failing to fulfill their duties to take urgent action to solve one of the greatest crises threatening the survival of people and communities all over the world,” she said.

Ian Rivera, National Coordinator of PMCJ, stressed the urgency of an equitable transition to renewable energy and called on the largest polluter countries to deliver climate finance.

“The Philippines and all countries must urgently and rapidly undertake an equitable and just transition away from fossil fuels towards 100% renewable energy systems,” he said.

The COP28 is expected to yield agreements on fossil fuel phase-out, renewable energy targets, just transition programs, and increased climate finance.

Lawyer Aaron Pedrosa, Secretary-General of Sanlakas, criticized false solutions like fossil gas and nuclear energy, advocating for a direct transition to renewable energy.

Pedrosa pointed out, “The Philippine government is not exempt from obligations to solve the climate crisis. We don’t need false solutions like fossil gas, ammonia co-firing, and nuclear energy when we can and should transition directly into renewable energy.”

The actions in the Philippines and globally emphasize the need for “system change to prevent catastrophic climate change.”

The groups said the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice on December 9 is not only about climate concerns but also highlights solidarity with Palestine.

Civil society groups in the Philippines endorse the Declaration and Call to Action by the COP28 Coalition, demanding an immediate ceasefire, an end to apartheid and colonialism, and a rapid phaseout of fossil fuels.

The comprehensive set of demands includes the cancellation of unsustainable debts, an end to greenwashing, protection of human rights, support for Indigenous Peoples, gender justice, and an equitable transition from a capitalist and extractivist economic system.

As the world awaits the outcomes of COP28, the voices of civil society in the Philippines join a global call for transformative action and justice on climate and humanitarian fronts.