Philippines takes carbon emitters to task

The Southeast Asian nation has launched the world’s first governmental inquiry into the impact of climate change on human rights

Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, ConocoPhillips and 45 other major oil and gas producers have been summoned to appear before a year-long inquiry led by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in the Philippines. The aim is to investigate the role of large carbon emitters in causing climate change. The investigation was launched in 2015, following a group petition from Greenpeace and others which alleged that 50 so-called "carbon majors" have contributed to climate change and impacted the rights of the citizens of this low-lying island nation. After two years of fact-finding missions, the CHR held its first formal hearing in Quezon City in late March. Subsequent hearings are due to take place in