Caritas Philippines announced that Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos will attend the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22. 

As vice president of Caritas Philippines and the bishop-champion for integral ecology of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, Alminaza will join leaders and advocates at the global climate summit to advance commitments under the Paris Agreement.

“Our participation in COP29 represents more than just attendance at an international conference,” Alminaza said. 

“It is a crucial opportunity to advocate for our communities who bear the brunt of climate change impacts while having contributed the least to this crisis,” he added. 

At COP29, Caritas Philippines said it will focus its efforts on three main campaigns: promoting a “just energy transition” that prioritizes vulnerable communities, calling for debt cancellation to support developing nations in addressing climate challenges, and supporting the fossil fuel non-proliferation initiative to tackle the climate crisis at its source.

As a representative of the Philippines, one of the most climate-affected countries, Alminaza will emphasize climate accountability at the summit, underscoring the need for concrete actions to address escalating climate impacts on developing nations. 

His participation, Caritas Philippines said, demonstrates the Church’s dedication to amplifying Filipino voices in the global climate dialogue.