MANILA, Philippines — Companies not protecting the environment should be boycotted if they will not listen and continue destroying the environment, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said.
Pabillo made the call as the Climate Action Summit 2019 is being held in New York City.
Alongside with the summit, “climate strikes” for Global Week for Future are also being held to demand action to protect the climate worldwide.
In the Philippines, according to Pabillo, “a total of 17 strikes were registered.”
READ: Philippines is deadliest place for land, environmental activists, says report
“Strikes are good. This shows that people, even young children, are standing up. However, the governments and big companies are uncommitted,” Pabillo said in a Facebook post, Tuesday night.
Pabillo said big companies became the main polluters, and “should be hit where it hurts them most,” from which Pabillo said are “name and money.”
“If big firms continue destroying the environment for the sake of their businesses, we should initiate boycott calls of their products.”
Pabillo made the call following the speech of 16-year-old environmental activist Greta Thunberg at the Climate Action Summit 2019.
Thunberg said younger generations were left to face the consequences of the destructive choices and practices of big companies on the environment.
“You come to us young people for hope. How dare you? You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. People are suffering, people are dying,” said Thunberg.
“We are in the beginning of mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money, and fairytales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!” she added. /muf
READ: Greta Thunberg gives a powerful speech to address UN world leaders: ‘How dare you?’