Protest for Our Future

VOLUME 1 ISSUE NO. 1 EDITORIAL | 03

by Angeline Sunga

We have barely three years left. If nothing is done within those years, then we are doomed.

Last April, more than a thousand scientists from across the globe went to the streets to demand immediate action against the urgently escalating climate crisis. The protest occurred after the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report stating that humankind had just three years to curb greenhouse gas emissions to prevent catastrophic climate repercussions.

According to the IPCC, humans are responsible for approximately all the greenhouse gas increases in the atmosphere during the last 150 years. Our actions are suffocating and ultimately killing the planet. The production of energy, transportation, agriculture, and industrial activities that enable us to survive are also the causes of our graves. There is a thin line between innovation and destruction. Still, self-centered individuals’ insatiable desires for power and wealth cross the line of devastation—profit and convenience in exchange for everything else.

The time is ticking. Every second is crucial. Three years is a short period. By the year 2025, our fates are sealed if actions are not taken today. When the scientists’ protest becomes trending on various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, it alarms the Filipinos. Massive postings about how to take care of our planet can be seen. Search engines like Ecosia and deleting emails are dominating our newsfeed. More than that, governments and industries are being called to action and accountability. But after some time, when news about the protest is no longer trending, most of these have also disappeared. It is a wonder how many people return to Google, or are they still even deleting their irrelevant emails? Who truly cares for our planet, and is there just for clout?

To make matters worse, the Philippine government hasn’t taken any prominent actions or even plans to address this alarming issue. But what do you expect from a government that has been turned into a family business? Moreover, industries continue to thrive for the sole purpose of maximizing profits without regard for the future they are destroying. Their money is increasing as the earth is warming.

If we want to rescue our planet and have a future, we must initiate the change ourselves. We must become thinking and responsible citizens of our nation. The true power is in our hands. It is on us to protect the world that we live in. With those three years that we have, we must show them that the power they have is just from us.