Typhoon Kalmaegi left 188 dead and more than a hundred still missing in the Philippines, while bringing heavy rainfall and devastation in Vietnam. The Philippines, one of the world’s most climate vulnerable nations, has been placed under a state of emergency and is bracing for an incoming supertyphoon.

As the COP30 Leaders’ Summit commences in Belém, Brazil, 350.org Asia urged world leaders to send strong signals that they are serious about preventing further climate chaos and keeping the goal of the Paris Agreement alive. The group said that nothing less than a clear roadmap to rapidly and equitably phase out fossil fuels and triple renewable energy will be an acceptable outcome of the climate talks for frontline communities across Asia, who are forced to deal with the worst impacts of a crisis they did not create.

Norly Mercado, 350.org Asia Regional Director, said:

“As leaders and billionaires think up more elaborate ways to extend the life of fossil fuels, more intense climate disasters take away lives, homes, and livelihoods in just a flash. Justice does not just demand that our losses be recognized and compensated. Justice demands real action that will propel us towards a rapid and equitable transition to renewable energy. We no longer want to witness these tragedies of climate inaction unfold. We need world leaders to rewrite the script: no more lies, no more excuses. We demand a satisfactory ending to COP30 that puts people, not polluters, in charge of our climate future.”

Media Contact:

Ilang-Ilang Quijano, 350.org Asia Communications Manager, ilang.quijano@350.org, +639175810934