Energy mix in line with econ needs – Cusi

MANILA, Philippines – Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi underscored yesterday the importance of laying down a balanced energy mix policy between fossil fuel and renewable energy sources tailored to support the country’s economic requirements and development.

Cusi said in a statement yesterday the country would implement an energy policy that meets specific economic demand.

“We will chart our own course in so far as energy is concerned to ensure energy supply security considering that developing countries like the Philippines have low carbon emissions. President Duterte is correct in saying that the country is still in the process of industrialization. We must therefore use whatever energy resources are available and affordable for power generation,” Cusi said.

His statement came after President Duterte said the administration will not honor the December 2015 Paris agreement on climate change which the Philippines adopted along with 200 countries.

“While we signed the Paris agreement last year committing ourselves to limit our carbon emissions, we cannot ignore the fact that our level of economic development at this point does not allow us to rely completely on renewable energy sources or clean energy,” Cusi said.

In December 2015, the Paris agreement, which aims to keep global temperatures from rising between now and 2100, was crafted during the 21st Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in France.

More than 150 countries signed the historic Paris climate deal last April.

But President Duterte said the Paris agreement on climate change is “blocking the progress of developing countries like the Philippines” and that the industrialized countries are “dictating the destiny” of developing ones by requiring them to cut carbon emissions.

This was supported by the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), the country’s largest climate justice group.

“The President is actually invoking historical responsibility enshrined in United Nations Climate Change Convention,” PMCJ national coordinator Ian Rivera said.

The group said the rich countries led by the US are responsible for the climate crisis and they are not honoring their obligations that resulted to several years of stalemate without global consensus of keeping low the temperature rise.

“The climate crisis has worsened to unprecedented level due to dilly dallying of rich countries. In fact, the Paris agreement was long overdue. However, it is difficult now to do away with this global consensus. It will mean going back to several decades of climate negotiations with very little time left before climate catastrophe,” Rivera said.

The Philippines is in the midst of crafting a strategic fuel policy mix to propel the country’s growing economy. The DOE is working with the National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Climate Change Commission to develop a balanced and sustainable energy policy framework.

Cusi said the country needs diversified energy sources to support our growing economy, requiring “to build more baseload power plants while also aggressively pushing for clean energy.”