Joint Summary of the Amicus Curiae Briefs to the Philippines Commission on Human Rights (March 2018)

In support of the inquiry by the Philippines Human Rights Commission into whether 47 companies’ contributions to climate change violated Filipinos’ human rights, a group of scientific, human rights, and legal experts from around the world has submitted a Joint Summary of the Amicus Curiae Briefs. The hearing comes as many of these companies face inquiries and litigation in a growing number of jurisdictions beyond the Philippines, including Germany and the United States.

As the impacts of Typhoon Haiyan prove all too clearly, climate change is already resulting in adverse impacts to human lives and impairments of human rights across the Philippines. These impacts impair fundamental rights including the rights to life, health, clean water and sanitation, food, adequate housing, self-determination and development, and equality and non-discrimination. These effects will fall disproportionately on populations who are disadvantaged due to poverty, gender, age, disability, cultural, or ethnic background, and children and future generations who will experience increasingly severe impacts over time.

Given these immense human rights impacts, it is equally important that people have access to justice. Too often the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in society not only suffer the most, but also have little recourse. As such and as recognized in multiple international fora, it is critically important they have access to justice, including redress and remedy for environmental harm and for violations of their human rights.

The Joint Statement shares the amici‘s common concern at the scale and urgency of the climate crisis, the impacts of which are now felt on a daily basis throughout the Philippines and around the world. Read the joint statement.

The amici are honored to share with the Philippines Commission on Human Rights the Joint Summary of the Amicus Curiae Briefs submitted in support of Petitioners, Greenpeace Southeast Asia et al. The Joint Summary consolidates and summarizes the key messages and arguments contained in the amicus curiae briefs originally submitted by legal scholars, experts, and human rights practitioners while also providing critical updates relevant to the Commission’s investigation. This Joint Summary is a supplemental resource, and is not intended to replace or supersede the underlying amicus curiae briefs upon which it draws. Read the joint summary.