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Growing Roots in the Air

By: Renee Valerie Fajardo

Release date: June 6, 2024

It’s not unusual for environmental lawyers to be asked how and why they chose their field. And even though the answers may vary, I found that they share a common denominator. Outside of their professional lives, my colleagues are sailors, hikers, divers, and volunteers – practically involved in every other activity that puts them in close contact with the Earth or if not the Earth, the industries that destroy it.

I am no exception. Before I went to law school, I volunteered in rehabilitation projects for communities in the Philippines that survived typhoons. After about three years of progressively worsening storms, I began to feel powerless and, frankly angry. I thought, surely I can do better than this. Surely, I can do more.

Today, I work as an environmental lawyer, with a sub-specialty in international climate change law, particularly the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement, and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. In this, I find the traditional Filipino spirit of bayanihan (which loosely translates into a communal spirit for collective well-being) to be helpful. It is not enough to simply provide information or to speak passionately.

Persuading others to take ambitious action on climate change requires a deeper understanding of what they deem important and showing a willingness to address their priorities alongside your own. This is particularly important in building partnerships among nations, especially between developing countries. Contrary to Western ideals of individualism, a shared sense of community is a more powerful in galvanizing people towards action. In this sense, I infuse the bayanihan spirit in my work.

I remember the first time I sat down with negotiators from other countries. I had already done my research beforehand but nothing could prepare me for the way they lit up when they discovered how much I had studied their national circumstances and spoke from a place of understanding. This built camaraderie and trust, which encouraged them to see matters from the perspective of the delegation I served.

Building community spirit is impossible without pakikisama or an appreciation for togetherness. This is not so much the willingness to compromise as it is the recognition that harmonious relationships are more important than one’s ego. I would not get far in my work if it were not for the brilliance and generosity of scientists and lawyers who continue to contribute to the body of knowledge and policy on climate change. Working with them requires an openness to criticism and no small degree of flexibility as strategies pivot according to the latest scientific and political developments.

On a more personal note, I’ve learned that staying firmly grounded in my beliefs requires understanding – and I mean really understanding – that I owe my success now to the generations who came before. My maternal grandfather was a fisherman from the island of Culion, Palawan. My paternal grandmother grew up in Sorsogon, Bicol during the Japanese Occupation. They dedicated their lives to protecting their families and making sure their children – my own mother and father -- had the tools needed to succeed in life. And so, my life and my dreams belong as much to them as they belong to me. This is both a privilege and a responsibility.

I choose to direct my gratitude outward and to help build a future for generations to come. And what does that future look like? One where development is not destructive. One where countries like the Philippines lead by example in creating an equitable society that cares for the Earth. It is a future that does not rely on fossil fuels, a future that respects the knowledge and rights of indigenous peoples over their lands and protects them from exploitation, a future where humans can co-exist peacefully with nature.

This can start with (1) efficient public transit systems in cities; (2) food production systems that are optimized for human consumption patterns and avoids overuse of chemical fertilizers and food waste; (3) decarbonizing electric grids by quickly transitioning towards renewable energy; and (4) preservation and promotion of indigenous knowledge. These do not need to happen overnight, but the sooner we adopt towards less carbon-intensive lifestyles the better off our future generations will be.

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