Gov’t urged to shift to renewable energy

MANILA, Philippines - A local civil society network has called on the Aquino government to stop the construction of coal plants and shift to renewable energy in light of a recent report of the United Nations scientific panel on climate change.

The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said that “the world can still keep global warming below dangerous levels only through immediate and drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, as well as by almost quadrupling our use of zero- and low-carbon energy by 2050.”

There are reportedly 17 coal-fired power plants in various stages of construction in the Philippines, with more in the pipeline. But the long-awaited feed-in tariffs, or government incentives for wind, solar, hydroelectric and biomass energy development, were lower than expected when the rates were released in 2012.

Aksyon Klima Pilipinas national coordinator Voltaire Alferez said that “in phasing out fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emissions, President Aquino can heed the call not only of hundreds of scientists around the world but also of communities and advocates across the Philippines.”

“While we can already do our share in curbing emissions, we must continue demanding developed countries to lead the mitigation of greenhouse gases, given how they emitted most of them throughout history. We also challenge the President to champion our survival abroad by holding these richer countries responsible,” he added.

The first two parts of the IPCC’s fifth assessment report were released last September and March. The first installment focused on physical science, or how both climate change is indisputable as well as how human beings have made it happen.

The second specified the consequences of climate change, including sea level rise and threat to global food and water supply.