The mitigation target of 75% greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction by 2030, relative to 2010 business-as-usual levels, of which only 2.71% are unconditional, should be the floor of our mitigation targets. Furthermore, this mitigation target must be met through a just transition to renewable energy, ensuring that the most affected people will not be left behind. As we move forward, we expect that these targets will only become more ambitious, in accordance with Article 4 Section 3 of the Paris Agreement. 

The NDC should also be used to transform the Philippines into a truly climate-resilient country, as it is intended to do. The high vulnerability of the Philippines to climate change impacts, as reflected by its high Climate Risk Index, necessitates helping the Filipino people adapt to the changing climate, especially those belonging to the most vulnerable communities.

The government must ensure a just implementation of the different policies and measures to achieve our mitigation and adaptation goals, ensuring the welfare of those at the frontlines of the climate crisis — youth, children, women, differently-abled individuals, indigenous people, poor communities, farmers, fisherfolks, and others. For climate action without social justice is still an injustice. This must be our guiding principle as we work to achieve climate resiliency and a low-carbon economy.

The Youth Cluster of the Climate Reality Project Philippines will continue to engage in the NDC process, particularly in developing the NDC roadmap, which will contain the implementation plan of the NDC. An NDC Coordinating Body will be established to monitor the progress of the NDC Implementation. We also echo the pronouncement of our Branch Manager regarding the willingness of the Climate Reality Leaders under our cluster to ensure that we will meet the goals of the NDC by helping develop the roadmap, raising awareness at the grassroots level, and doing climate actions in our respective sectors and communities. 

The Youth Cluster will not stop demanding real climate action from the government and making sure that they will be held accountable for their action and inaction. For it is our future at stake, we need to see positive change now.