Yesterday Gerry Arances, the national coordinator of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, a broad coalition of grassroots organizations working with vulnerable sectors and communities to campaign for climate justice in the Philippines, addressed the Norwegian Parliament to divest the Norwegian sovereign fund from fossil-fuels as it comes under review in the Norwegian Parliament.

Below is a transcript of the speech he delivered at the Norwegian Parliament:

This year will be a historic year.

We are at a crucial moment where at the end of the year in Paris, humanity will be given another opportunity again to address the climate crisis: to either right the wrongs of the past and the present, or to again only conclude with empty promises and mere pledges.

We have seen this for the past two decades: words which amount to nothing and old, destructive practices continuing to prosper. Actions which further condemn the Filipino nation and all climate-vulnerable communities and peoples of the world to death and destruction.

Ccoal projects funded by the Norwegian pension fund.

We in the Philippines can no longer endure another Haiyan, or worse, twice the destruction if the practice of business-as-usual continues and leads us beyond 2-degrees global temperature.

Norway, its government and its people, are given an opportunity to do what is right for the people of the world before the Paris COP in December: to stop the madness of coal and fossil addiction, profiteering and the devastation that it brings; and to really make a big difference for the climate and the peoples of the world.

In behalf of the resisting and struggling coal and climate affected communities of the Philippines, we enjoin Norway, its government and its people to divest from coal and fossil fuels.

Stop funding the destruction, displacement and increased vulnerability of communities.

Stop funding coal plants and coal mining in our country.

Stop funding dirty energy.

Moving out of coal would be a small step for Norway (2 out of 3 Norwegians are in favour of it), but a big message to the international community. Join us in making that happen.