CJ urges judges: Push green justice

As the country faces intensifying climate threats, Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo called on judges to help advance the environmental rule of law, saying climate action has become “a matter of survival” for the country.

This was Gesmundo’s message to first-level court judges during the 26th Annual Convention and Seminar of the Metropolitan and City Judges Association of the Philippines, Inc. (MetCJAP).

The chief magistrate highlighted the Judiciary’s commitment to strengthen environmental protection through judicial innovation, sustainability initiatives, and the enforcement of environmental rights.

Themed “Green Justice: Advancing Environmental Rule of Law Through Judicial Innovations,” the convention was held at the BE Grand Resort in Panglao, Bohol, on 17 to 18 September 2026.

Gesmundo commended MetcJAP for dedicating its annual convention to environmental law: “Climate action is a whole-of-nation and indeed a whole-of-planet undertaking; and yet as judges in our metropolitan and city courts, you are uniquely well-positioned to take on the mission of advancing environmental rule of law.”

Most exposed to disasters

He cited the Philippines’ vulnerability to climate-related disasters, pointing to recent extreme weather events, including record monsoon rains and successive typhoons, as evidence of the growing urgency of climate action.

Gesmundo noted that the SC has consistently upheld the constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology through landmark environmental decisions.

These are supported by initiatives under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI), including expanding electronic court systems to reduce paper consumption, efforts to eliminate single-use plastics, and adopting sustainable infrastructure within the SC Baguio compound.

He also highlighted the creation of the Judicial Committee on Sustainability and Environmental Concerns, which led the first National Summit on Sustainability and Environmental Law in 2024.

Gesmundo also thanked MetCJAP members for helping implement the SPJI and expressed hope that they would continue advancing green justice beyond the SPJI’s implementation period.