On July 23, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion on climate change, declaring that failure in doing appropriate measures to address climate change can be an internationally wrongful act.
Below is an article by Marielle Justine C. Sumilong, assistant professor of speech communication at the UPD Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts and deputy director of the UP Diliman Information Office, on the role of UP Diliman in forming the Philippines’ advisory opinion submitted to the ICJ.
UPD’s fight against climate change
Marielle Justine C. Sumilong
UP Diliman (UPD) plays a critical and multifaceted role in the fight against climate change, serving as the country’s premier institution for advanced scientific research, policy formulation, legal advocacy, and community engagement in addressing this global crisis. Its imperative to act is grounded in the urgent need to tackle climate change through credible scientific data generation, informed lawmaking, international legal participation, and capacity-building initiatives that cultivate adaptive, resilient, and sustainable communities.
UPD demonstrates its active role in producing scientific data on climate change and its impacts through specialized units and research projects. For example, the Climate and High Impact Weather Laboratory or CHI Lab under the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology conducts advanced climate modeling and analyses to assess future scenarios and their effects, including tropical cyclone intensification and flooding. Recent projects from the UPD College of Science—supported by the Department of Science and Technology Accelerated Science and Technology Human Resource Development Program / DOST-ASTHRDP and the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development / DOST-PCIEERD—study the characteristics, impacts, and projections of super typhoons affecting the Philippines, providing critical insights for climate resilience planning.
The UP Resilience Institute furthers the university’s climate mandate by advancing mitigation and adaptation strategies in partnership with government agencies and communities. Its initiatives include impact-based flood forecasting (supported by USAID and the World Food Programme) and assessing climate displacement risks with international collaborators. These efforts ensure that climate data and tools are transformed into actionable resilience-building measures.
Beyond scientific research and national lawmaking, the UP College of Law (UP Law) plays a pivotal role in the international legal discourse on climate change. It contributed expert legal knowledge and scientific testimony to the Philippine government’s submission for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion on state obligations related to climate change. This advisory opinion is significant as it influences both national and global environmental governance and climate litigation.
Faculty and students at the UP Law actively draft, review, and critique climate-related legislation, such as the Climate Change Act of 2009 (RA 9729), while participating in international legal forums. The Philippine submission emphasized the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as inherently linked to fundamental human rights, such as life, dignity, and development. It invoked key principles like intergenerational equity, grounded in both international law and Philippine jurisprudence, including the landmark case Oposa vs. Factoran, which underscores the responsibility of the present generation to protect the environment for future generations.
The ICJ advisory opinion holds potential global ramifications by clarifying states’ obligations concerning climate mitigation and adaptation. UP Law officials note that such frameworks empower citizens to actively hold governments accountable, influencing policies that affect daily life. The opinion’s relevance to Philippine foreign policy and its impact on strategic climate litigation underscore UPD’s comprehensive role in bridging science, law, and policy to address climate change.
Individual units at UPD emphasize the university’s focus on climate impacts in critical sectors. Collaborative projects have examined climate change effects on agriculture, food security, and natural resources, addressing policy gaps while developing climate-smart strategies. For instance, policy analyses of the agricultural sector have supported government institutions in planning climate-resilient food systems. Similarly, UPD contributions to national climate assessments provide comprehensive vulnerability and adaptation evaluations, supporting evidence-based policymaking.
The university’s arts and humanities disciplines complement these efforts by integrating creative, cultural, and socio-historical perspectives that deepen public engagement and foster climate awareness. The UPD College of Fine Arts hosted the AnthropoScene project, a multidisciplinary art initiative combining scientific data with visual arts, installations, and ceramics to powerfully convey human-driven environmental devastation and species extinction. This evolving project includes exhibits and workshops on the Anthropocene epoch, inviting reflection on collective responsibility and urgent climate action.
Innovative experimental art approaches at UPD include digital installations using augmented reality / AR technology to immerse audiences in projected climate futures, based on advanced regional climate modeling from UP scientific research. This blend of technology, science, and visual storytelling aims to enhance climate literacy and foster emotional connections. In performing arts, Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas has recently produced plays centered on climate justice and environmental ethics, collaboratively developed with activists and community stakeholders to challenge audiences and inspire engagement.
The university’s Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA) champions sustainability through programs that merge traditional arts with indigenous ecological knowledge, promoting environmental stewardship anchored in cultural identity. OICA’s initiatives underscore the importance of environmentally conscious cultural responses that respect community heritage and diverse worldviews. Additionally, OICA’s UPD Arts and Culture Festival collaborates with local communities in arts for resilience workshops, creating participatory platforms where artists and residents co-create public artworks and performances on climate adaptation, disaster resilience, and renewable energy awareness. These community-engaged projects foster shared learning and empower vulnerable populations through creative expression.
Through these dynamic artistic and cultural endeavors, UPD enriches public discourse on climate change and sustainability, fostering a holistic understanding that integrates empirical science with human values, creativity, and cultural identity.
Together, UPD’s scientific, legal, artistic, and cultural initiatives exemplify the essential role of universities in confronting climate change by delivering rigorous research, legal expertise, and meaningful partnerships with local governments and communities. This comprehensive engagement advances informed, equitable, and sustainable climate solutions tailored to the Philippines’ unique vulnerabilities. The university’s integrated approach nurtures a nuanced understanding of climate change, driving innovations that balance empirical data with human values, ultimately contributing to resilient futures. — With a report from Mariamme D. Jadloc, UP Diliman Information Office