The Philippines’ delegate to the UN climate summit in Warsaw, Poland has delivered an emotional plea on Monday. Yeb Sano, the counrty’s climate change commissioner, broke down at the conference, linking the recent super typhoon tragedy that has befallen his home nation to climate change.

Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Yolanda, struck the central region of the Philippines on Friday, devastating several provinces and almost wiping out the town of Tacloban, where more than 10,000 people are believed to have died.

Mr Sano’s family’s home town was also affected, and is still waiting word for the fate of his relatives. His brother has communicated with him, though, informing him that he has survived.

“I struggle to find words even for the images that we see on the news coverage. And I struggle to find words to describe how I feel about the losses and damages we have suffered from this cataclysm,” his voice continued to crack as he described his country’s current state.

“I speak for my delegation, but I speak for the countless people who will no longer be able to speak for themselves after perishing from the storm. I also speak for those who have been orphaned by the storm. I speak for the people now racing against time to save survivors and alleviate the suffering of the people affected.”

He continued, “We can take drastic action now to ensure that we prevent a future where super typhoons as a way of life. Because we refuse, as a nation, to accept a future where super typhoons like Haiyan become a fact of life. We refuse to accept that running away from storms, evacuating our families, suffering the devastation and misery, having to count our dead, become a way of life. We simply refuse to.”

The Filipino representative called for more concrete resolution in the conference, refusing to accept that disasters such as the super typhoon that caused massive destruction in the Philippines are natural.

“We can fix this. We can stop this madness. Right now. Right here, in the middle of this football field. I call on you to lead us. And let Poland be forever known as the place we truly cared to stop this madness.”

He also added a personal pledge, saying, “In solidarity with my countrymen who are struggling to find food back home and with my brother who has not had food for the last three days, in all due respect Mr President, and I mean no disrespect for your kind hospitality, I will now commence a voluntary fasting for the climate.

“This means I will voluntarily refrain from eating food during this COP [Conference of the Parties] until a meaning outcome is in sight.”

His speech was met with a standing ovation from the delegates of the other nations.

Earlier, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres opened the meeting, telling the participants that climate change was not a game.

“There are no winners and losers, we all either win or lose in the future we make for ourselves.”