Help ditch coal, climate body urges

MANILA, Philippines – The Climate Change Commission (CCC) has urged international financial institutions to help the government promote the shift to clean energy by doing away with financing coal energy projects.

Speaking at the Asia Clean Energy Forum 2016 of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) last Thursday, CCC secretary Emmanuel de Guzman sought cooperation from the finance sector in efforts to address climate change.

“We look at ADB as the leader in the finance sector. I guess you have to play a major role also in sensitizing the finance sector in the country. We have an enormous and daunting task and we are employing all the effective means that we believe can effect change efficiently and quickly to transform the nation into a new economy,” De Guzman said.

He said that while there may be green growth and green jobs, there are still financial institutions funding coal power plant constructions.

“What can ADB do to sensitize the finance leaders in the country to once and for all stop financing dirty fuel, energy production and generation and leapfrog and consider new technologies and forget the old, archaic, and antiquated technology of dirty fossil-based fuel?” he asked.