Dumaguete City recently joined the largest “People's Climate March” to demand actions addressing the issue of human-induced climate change.

More than a thousand environmental advocates from Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental from 30 organizations, composed of the academe, people’s organizations, activists, artists, members of religious groups, and cause-oriented organizations participated in the march around the city thoroughfares, recently.

The Dumaguete People's March co-organizer, John Lumapay, said the march highlighted the call to stop the cutting of trees in Mount Talinis brought about by the expansion of the geothermal power plant of the Energy Development Corporation.

Environment advocate and Southeast Asia coordinator Zeph Repollo said elsewhere in the Philippines, there were also mass actions in Manila and Davao where the march also highlighted local environmental issues and efforts that call for transparency and concrete policy for the protection of forests from exploitation and the conservation of water systems.

The People's Climate March drew in around 400,000 people in New York City to express the urgent need for meaningful climate action.

Around 2,700 actions around the globe took place with marches in China, India, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Turkey, and South Africa, as well as in the streets of London, Mexico City and Berlin.

Repollo said the global community expressed support to the ongoing campaign to protect Mt Talinis, its biodiversity hotspot, its flora and fauna, and watersheds that are now threatened by the geothermal expansion plans of the Energy Development Corporation.

Moreover, 350.org supports the development of clean, safe, community-based, and decentralized Renewable Energy solutions that serves the best interest of communities in Negros Oriental.*RG

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