In an open letter to the Philippine delegates to the 27th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, various civil society organizations in the country recommended the inclusion of Agroecology on the agenda to address the ongoing climate crisis.

Agroecology, defined as the "application of ecological principles to agricultural systems and practices," must be recognized as a global warming solution, according to Philippine-based organizations.

There were 55 organizations who endorsed the open letter including peasant groups Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon, and Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women.

The petition was also endorsed by Alliance of Filipino Women Gabriela, Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment, MASIPAG, and Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines.

“We call on the Philippine Delegation to the COP27 to advocate for Agroecology as an adaptive strategy to strengthen stability and resilience of food production systems, in the face of extreme events due to climate change, and as we are nearing the point of irreversible impact of this global threat,” said the organizations in the aforementioned open letter.

Noting the drastic impacts of climate change on food productivity, the groups highlighted the “significant need” to come up with coherent and actionable policies to achieve a “climate-resilient” food system in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, COP27 of the UNFCCC will be hosted by the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt from Nov. 6 until Nov. 18, 2022. The conference seeks to “effectively tackle” the global challenge of climate change.