Save Asia’s vital resources, experts urge

MANILA, Philippines - Businesses and governments in Asia must work hand-in-hand to help save Asia’s vital resources, experts said during the recently concluded Royal Dutch Shell forum held in Manila last week.

Bobby Kanapi, vice president for communication for Shell Companies in the Philippines said nothing comprehensive has been done yet to address water, food and energy security.

“While these challenges and risks have been discussed at length by Asia’s leaders, nothing comprehensive has been done yet to address the stresses that affect the deep connections between water, food, and energy security,” Kanapi said during the Powering Progress Together Forum 2013.

Royal Dutch Shell, the global energy giant brought the forum to Asia for the first time since it was launched in Rotterdam, Netherlands in 2012.

During the forum, experts raised the challenges and risks that Asia will face as it aims to become a global economic center.

Among the challenges is competition for finance natural resources such as energy, water and fertile land for food production; global warming and climate change including shortages in natural resources and water that would affect the major urban areas of the region.

In the area of energy, Kanapi said, Shell is finding ways to deliver “cleaner energy and how to achieve energy efficiency.”

“As current energy demand rises, everyone will need to help in a sustainable way,” Kanapi said.

Shell chief financial officer Simon Henry urged policymakers and private companies to work together to implement better urban planning, saying this is one solution in addressing Asia’s dwindling vital resources.

“Better urban planning is needed,” Henry said during the forum.