International Press Conference

Dear Friends:

The time for talk is over. It is time for action!

May we invite you to join us for the launch of the Global Legal Action against Climate Change.

What:
An international press conference to announce the simultaneous filing of legal actions all around the Philippines.
Legal petitions will be sent to public officials – Mayors, Governors, heads of national government agencies, members of Congress -- to inquire into the status of implementation and compliance of basic Environmental Laws, laws that have long languished in the sickbed of non-compliance.

When:
June 5, 2009, World Environment Day, 10:00 a.m.

Where:
4th floor, IBP Building
Julia Vargas Avenue
Ortigas Center, Pasig City

Who:
By the youth of the Philippines -- fed up with Government’s lack of action to seriously address the clear and present dangers of climate chang -- have decided to take the Law ‘into their own hands’. Backed up by the top legal minds of the Philippines , they will initiate a series of legal actions all around the country to enforce Environmental Law.

How:
- Youth representatives from all regions around the Philippines -- backed up by the country’s top Environment and Litigation Lawyers -- will initiate the legal actions to enforce compliance of basic Environmental Laws such as for –

1. Solid Waste Management
2. Marine conservation
3. Rainwater collectors
4. Delineation and on-the-ground demarcation of final forest lines and protected areas
5. Establishment of critical habitat of endangered Philippine animals and plants, etc.

A novel legal Petition for Inter-generatonal Damages (damage to future generations) will also be filed in a designated Environmental Court.
This legal action, hardly ever used, will allow the petitioner to gather the evidence existing and available in the present, in preparation of future legal action. The Court, upon motion of the petitioner, can subpoena any public official or private person inquire as to the status of compliance of the Law. The recipient of this subpoena must answer within 15 days in the form of an oral or written statement, to be made under oath. Official records, documents, pictures, physical, scientific and other forms of evidence may also be ordered to be produced.

In sum, the purposes of this legal petition are to:
1. secure the evidence while they are available to
2. put on record and perpetuate the memory of a fact or condition, action or inaction of any person that will contribute to the causes of the damage;
3. determine who should be held liable for the present and future environmental damages, i.e., damage to the Life-Sources of Land, Air, and Water (LAW).

This is the concept of ‘inter-generational damages.’

We look forward to seeing you there. After a long time, this is finally going to happen.

After the press conference, we will proceed to a designated Environmental Court to file the novel Legal Petition under Rule 24.

Very truly yours,


Tony Oposa

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