Philippine climate change commissioner Yeb Sano announced Wednesday that he is abandoning his government post to pursue a “larger fight” against climate change. He will begin a global trek to climate change hotspots around the world.
The internationally renowned Filipino environmentalist said that he is resigning as the commissioner of the Philippines’ Climate Change Commission to join faith groups around the world as part of a global climate change movement, according to GMA News. Naderev “Yeb” Sano —who was known around the world after fasting in an effort to get people to focus on the threat of global warming in 2013— has begun a “People’s Pilgrimage.”
He said that he is “filled with gladness and hope as I join OurVoices as leader.” He called OurVoices a “multi-faith climate campaign” that was created in an effort to recognize the “urgency of the climate crisis” and press for an accord at a United Nations summit, according to Khaleej Times.
Delegates are looking to make a universal and binding decision on climate change for the first time in 20 years of UN negotiations. He hopes that his journey will pressure the delegates to make a unified decision at a United Nations Conference on Climate Change in December. He said that it will take an “unprecedented amount of political will” to come to an agreement in Paris.
Sano called himself an “advocate and civil servant” as part of a “larger global climate movement” in his announcement on Earth Day. He addressed his decision to leave his post in a series of Twitter posts to President Barack Obama and Pope Francis.
He thanked the Filipino people and the government for allowing him the “honor of serving the country.” He ended his post with #LargerFight.
Sano announced that he will join fellow Filipino pilgrims in a 6-mile walk from the Shrine of Mary Queen of Peace to the Rizal Shrine in Manila. He also plans to travel to places reportedly affected by climate change in Thailand, India, Africa, Australia, North America and Korea on his walking journey.
His leg will include a 60-day walk from Rome to Paris. He plans to arrive just in time for the conference in December.
