56,000 signatures up for Pope's climate change petition

• Source:http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/local-news/2015/11/28/56000-signatures-popes-climate-change-petition-444126
• Saturday, November 28, 2015

By Pamela Jay F. Orias

ABOUT 56,000 signatures were gathered by Kagay-anons to contribute to Pope Francis' climate change petition which aims to hit 20 million signatures worldwide.

Ada Estepa, Ecology Ministry Coordinator of the Archdiocese in Cagayan de Oro, encouraged some 1,000 participants during Saturday's Global Solidarity Climate March to take the challenge and pledge to commit toward a greener environment.

The event kicked off at Provincial Capitol grounds and stopped at Kiosko Kagawasan, Divisoria, where a short program was held.

"Nagmalipayon kita kay nakahatag kita ug 56,000 signatures alone dinhi sa Cagayan de Oro alang unta nga madungog sa mga lideres sa United Nations na mo-agree to stop carbon emissions immediately," Estepa said.

The Pope's climate change petition aims to pressure First World countries to drastically cut carbon emissions, which have been raising global temperature close to the dangerous 1.5 degree Celsius threshold.

"The world has reached an increase of a 1 degree centigrade temperature tungod ra pud sa atong kaugalingong binuhatan. We hope that we would not go beyond that 1 degree," Estepa said.

The petition will be handed over to world leaders set to take part in the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, France, from November 30 to December 11 this year.

Dr. Raoul Geollegue of the Philippine Watershed Management Council predicts that should carbon emissions continue in the next two decades, the world would reach havoc.

Geollegue cited that 250 megawatts coal-fired power plants which, according to him, emit thousands of green house gases that can be carried by about 109,500 dump trucks.

"Sa mga dagko na ga-operate ug coal power plants, do not misinform the public. Once our temperature rise to 3 degrees, our water and food supply will be depleted, security will be threatened since mag-kinawatay na," he said.

He added that the world should stop developing their place if it is at the expense of Mother Earth.

Ester Olavides, assistant regional director of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DENR 10) said they expand projects which see environmental development a priority.

"There are simple ways, we can start in our households, we segregate trash, or in our community, initiate a cleanup drive," Olavides said.

"We need to unite since this problem is not only a social but a moral issue, we must learn to discipline ourselves kay ang pagbag-o dapat man gyud magsugod sa atong mga kaugalingon," she added.

The Climate March was participated by students, climate activists, civil society organizations, interfaith groups, Indigenous Peoples in the city's hinterland barangays, and church groups, among others.