Today the Climate Walk took a break from their usual 30-40 KM daily walk to join the people of Catbalogan for their city’s Climate Change Congress together with the local government, Dingdong Dantes and JP Penol who are representing the National Youth Commission.
The ceremonies started with a 500-strong march that started from Catbalogan City hall towards the campus of Samar State University where we were meet by an approximated 3,000 youth participants who are being empowered by the government to become actively involved in disaster risk reduction by the local government via a city ordinance that includes youth representation in the disaster risk reduction council of the city– a welcomed initiative that invites the generation who will continue the battle to fight climate change.
Much of the day was spent in various activities all aimed at challenging the youth to take it upon themselves the responsibility to endure and persevere in ensuring a future that is not only resilient but also a future that refuses climate change as a way of life.
The walk comes at a crucial time when many of the people who contributed the least to global greenhouse gases and benefited the least from the burning of fossil fuels have taken it upon themselves to do what world leaders have failed to do in meeting out justice for the victims of climate induced disasters.
From the Pacific Climate Warriors of the island nations to the participants of the Climate Walk–both have given faces and names to those who are faced to live with the impacts of a warming climate as a way of life.
It is to them that each step taken in this walk is dedicated to. Tomorrow we meet the sun walking onwards to ground zero with hope as our beacon and climate action as our motivation.