By Imelda V. Abano
Philippines’ former lead climate negotiator and climate activist, Naderev “Yeb” Saño decided to continue his quest for climate justice. He now joins Greenpeace Southeast Asia as its new Executive Director.
After the adoption of the historic climate agreement of more than 190 nations in Paris last month, Saño believed that the agreement made required a concerted commitment to take more climate action.
“ Particular attention must be given to the most vulnerable populations. And my vision for Southeast Asia is to continue the strong work and solidarity that we have started to find solution to climate change,” Saño told the Philippine EnviroNews. “ This region is particularly critical and we have been struggling to save our environment. So we have to strengthen our campaign on preserving our oceans, our support to the grassroots struggle especially against coal power stations, and strengthen our energy and climate change programs.”
In Warsaw, Saño did not hesitate to draw the connection of extreme climate events like Super Typhoon Haiyan in an impassioned speech before thousands of negotiators and world leaders from more than 195 nations. He was excluded too in attending the climate negotiations in Lima, Peru in 2014. Last year, he led hundreds of environmentalists and climate activists in a pilgrimage in the Philippines, as well as from Rome to Paris for the international climate change meet.
With degrees in philosophy and community development with a focus on disaster management, Saño has a long history of climate activism. He headed up the World Wildlife Fund’s energy and climate program in the Philippines before becoming a public servant; he was appointed as the nation’s climate change commissioner in 2010 near the end of the term of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the former president. He was “born to a family of revolutionaries,” and Saño has said he draws inspiration from his brother, street artist and conservationist Amado Guerrero “AG” Saño, known for his murals of larger-than-life images of dolphins, rainbows, and other nature-themed paintings.
“ As I join Greenpeace, we will be much involved in grassroots campaigns and engage more with the communities as well as harness competence of experts in Southeast Asia,” he added.
With his long journey as a climate activist, Saño shares this piece in quest for climate justice:
Marching On
By Yeb Sano, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Executive Director
Somewhere in the middle of our 60-day march from Rome to Paris. I reflected: What happens after Paris? Where will the journey lead?
I completed that journey on foot, with two dozen pilgrims, who braved the 1,500 kilometre distance. They also endured the onset of winter and the crossing over the Swiss Alps, followed by the COP21 Climate Summit. As 2016 begins, I embark on a new beginning: starting this year as Executive Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.
But this whole journey had started much earlier before.
In November 2013, the strongest storm that had ever made landfall in history ravaged the Philippines – Typhoon Haiyan, during the UN Climate Summit in Warsaw. As Chief Negotiator of the Philippines, I had the honour and responsibility of speaking for my country with this terrible tragedy in the backdrop.
It was a heart-wrenching moment that changed my life . I was thrust into a responsibility of being a voice for the unheard, a voice in the wilderness crying for climate justice.
Today, it is absolutely clear that our global community faces an ecological crisis.
We need to catalyse a massive global transformation. All of us need to stand together to make it happen.
It was important to highlight that, even with a clear adversary that is climate change, I sincerely felt that the battle cannot be won merely within the confines of the institutions we have built, and within the boundaries of my own country. I felt compelled to join the larger movement, to rally people and communities towards building a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world.
During my work since Warsaw, with the Global Catholic Climate Movement and OurVoices, I have witnessed a clamour of support for climate action from the world’s religions and faith communities.
The world has changed, and our challenges in our region are more daunting than ever. Indonesia’s forests burn annually, smothering Malaysia, Singapore and beyond with a thick smoke haze. In Thailand, the grassroots struggle against coal-fired power stations retains high profile. In my home country, The Philippines, the dire impacts of climate change are felt more strongly by the year.
In all its 16 years of history, Greenpeace Southeast Asia today is more ready than ever to take on these challenges. And we’re making a huge impact too. I see enormous power in the collective, local, regional and global action of the Greenpeace community. Ultimately, it’s about positively transforming the relationship between human-kind and the natural environment.
There are things in life that one is meant to do and there are things in life that are meant to be – like a baby cradled in her mother’s arms, wind in a ship’s sail, or the encounter of kindred souls. It’s a calling.
When Gandalf explained the Ring to Frodo and they were talking about the dreadful return of Sauron, Frodo expressed his anxiety: “I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
I believe that among many, I have been given that time. I have decided what to do with it. But I’m not only joining the most effective environmental campaigning organization. I’m joining millions of people from every corner of the globe who make the work of Greenpeace possible. I hope you’ll join me too.
story and photos by Imelda V. Abano
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