Road sharing: Time for talk is over

CLIMATE change is an issue of inter-generational justice. Our generation today is suffering from the actions of past generations. And what we are doing today will inflict a profound damage to future generations.

Frustrated by the failure of the present generation to take meaningful action to address the climate crisis, the young people of the world will ‘take the law into their own hands.’

It is now time to use the power of law to protect our right to a safe climate. One action will become many …

On Earth Day, April 22, youth leaders from all over the world will converge in Bantayan Island, Cebu in  Central Philippines. These youth leaders will be backed up by a team of crack environment and litigation lawyers from around the world.

They will launch a series of socio-political and legal actions to compel to the present generation to sit up and listen.

FILE PETITIONS

For ground-level action, Filipino youth leaders will launch the filing of petitions for the Road Sharing Movement. This movement calls for the Philippine Government  to transform the road and transportation system from the present car-based system to one that is more fair and more people-friendly.

Using a little known law on people’s initiative, young Filipino leaders, backed by their lawyers, will file petitions to directly propose to their local governments the passage of an ordinance (a local law).

The proposed ordinance calls for the sharing of the road space: At least one-half of roads will be used only for path-walks and bicycle lanes, and the other half for a good public transport system.

The team of youth leaders and their lawyers will also send out a Nationwide Notice to Sue to the Philippine Government. Inspired by the legal action of Filipino children one generation ago in the world-famous Children’s case on inter-generational justice, many groundbreaking atmospheric trust cases have been filed around the world, in the United States, Ukraine, Uganda, and in other countries.

Today, one generation after the right of future generations was recognized as actionable in law, it comes full circle. The youth leaders of the world will converge in the Philippines. This time they will enforce their inter-generational right to inter-generational damages.