Susan Kath, director of the Environment Program at Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, delivers opening remarks at the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines which is holding inquiry hearings at the New York City Bar Association. National inquiry hearings have commenced to investigate the responsibility of Shell, BHP Billiton, BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ENI, ExxonMobil, Glencore, OMV, Repsol, Sasol, Suncor, Total, RWE and 33 other companies for human rights violations resulting from climate change. The Commission has said that it is holding the inquiry hearing in New York City in order to give these multinational oil, gas, coal, and cement companies an opportunity to present their perspective. To date, these companies have only tried to stop the inquiry from happening.