Their typhoon, our typhoon

Rescue efforts are underway to find survivors and aid is urgently needed to assist those who got through what is being described as the worst storm ever to hit land.

I have also been listening to the call of the Phillipines Government which is asking developed countries like New Zealand to address climate change, which is resulting in typhoons that are more destructive.

Yesterday in our Parliament, I read out a copy of a remarkable speech given by the Philippines’ lead climate change negotiator Yeb Saño, who happened to be at the United Nations climate summit in Poland as the typhoon hit.

Please share Yeb Saño’s powerful climate change plea

I read Yeb Saño’s speech word for word in our Parliament to show that we stand beside the people of the Philippines. Their typhoon is our typhoon.

All of our actions, and inaction, are allowing the climate to change, and allowing countries like the Philippines to be devastated over and over by stronger and stronger storms.

In his powerful speech, calling for immediate action on climate change, Yeb Saño said: “I speak for my delegation. But more than that, I speak for the countless people who will no longer be able to speak for themselves after perishing from the storm. I also speak for those who have been orphaned by this tragedy… We refuse to accept that running away from storms, evacuating our families, suffering the devastation and misery, having to count our dead, become a way of life. We simply refuse to.”

Please share Saño’s powerful speech with everyone you know.

The people of the Philippines are asking for our action on climate change. Sharing this video gets their message out.

Russel Norman
GREEN PARTY CO-LEADER

greens.org.nz/climatechange