Today, the world observes World Environment Day with the theme #OnlyOneEarth that focuses on climate action, nature action and pollution action while encouraging everyone, everywhere to live sustainably. Indeed, we are now at the brink of climate collapse with storms, droughts, floods, and food insecurity getting more intense, and wider each passing day.
But how can we, as an individual and citizens of #OnlyOneEarth focus on climate action, nature action, and pollution action while supposedly maintaining a sustainable life when corrupt public officials, who are willfully blind and deaf to the plight of the masses, facilitate the systemic and systematic destruction of our natural resources thru their unsustainable development infrastructure and projects such as the Kaliwa Dam and Tampakan open pit mining that robs the present and future generations of a livable world?
How can we, as an individual and citizens of #OnlyOneEarth focus on climate action, nature action and pollution action while supposedly maintaining a sustainable life when historical polluters such as Bayer, Monsanto, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the likes mainly responsible for the proliferation of highly hazardous chemical pesticides and highly contaminant genetically engineered crops such as Golden Rice are at the top commanding the trajectory of our agriculture and food system that greatly relies on resource utilization?
With these, Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura or MASIPAG reiterates its call for a systemic and systematic change to genuinely combat climate change. Along with the countless farmers, individuals and organizations, MASIPAG has been steadfast in promoting agroecology as the only alternative system capable of alleviating the impending climate catastrophe as it enhances the resilience and sustainability of food and farming systems while preserving social and ecological integrity.
For decades, MASIPAG farmers have been practicing agroecology in their farms and it has been proven to suffice the conditions to live a dignified and sustainable life as a farmer and the primary food producer in the country–socially, economically, and culturally. Moreover, in the lens of a socio-political movement, agroecology has been integral in the holistic articulation of the farmers and citizens on why it takes more than individual effort to conserve and protect our #OnlyOneEarth while maintaining food security for all.
Indeed, 50 years ago, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was right to declare June 5 as World Environment Day in order to raise awareness of our degrading home. But we can only do so much with our own individual ways that pales in comparison to the destructive efforts of the corporate world.
If the UNEP is indeed genuine with its #OnlyOneEarth, UNEP should already declare a climate emergency that addresses the root cause of climate change and systematically carry the call of the countless farmers, citizens, and organizations around the world. In order to save our #OnlyOneEarth from the impending climate catastrophe, then there is nowhere to go but AGROECOLOGY .