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Climate activists wage war vs coal

Published on 9 June 2015 Philippines

MANILA - The Philippines is still very much a coal country.

Data from the Philippine's Energy Department show that coal-fired power plants dominated power generation in the country with an installed capacity of 5,568 megawatts in 2013, while oil-based power plants came in second with 3,353 megawatts.

Other sources of power, including renewable energy like wind and solar, were far behind, with wind only accounting for 33 megawatts in overall power generation capacity and solar barely making it to 1 megawatt.

There are 17 coal-fired power plants currently operating in the country.

But, according to the group, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), this number is about to change significantly very soon.

Fifty-nine coal plants have already been approved by the government for construction and 15 more are in the pipeline.

While coal is sold cheaply, environmental group Greenpeace says, the adverse effects of carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere and human health come at a high cost. Coal emits more carbon per unit of energy than oil and 80% more than natural gas.

And, of course, carbon dioxide is the biggest environmental culprit speeding the earth's warming and causing climate change.


NO BETTER PEOPLE

One of the worst effects of climate change is the intensification of hurricanes and tropical storms.

"We live with climate change. There's no better nation or people that can articulate it more vividly and eloquently than the Filipino people because of what happened during Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). It is ironic that we're bearing the brunt of climate change, yet the government still pushes for more coal plants to be built," Gerry Arances, PMCJ National Coordinator, said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

Arances also explained why the government should invest more in renewable sources of energy.

"Government data even show that the potential for renewable energy in the country could reach 200,000 megawatts. Eventually coal will become much more expensive than renewable energy, because coal is a finite resource and 90% of our coal is imported from Indonesia," he said.


SMALL BUT PIVOTAL VICTORY

Arances was recently in Oslo, Norway where he joined fellow climate activists to appeal to the Norwegian Parliament to stop investing in coal and fossil fuels.

Norway is a top investor of coal in the Philippines. PMCJ estimates that the Scandinavian country is funding at least half of the coal plants that are under construction in the country.

Their efforts were rewarded. The Norwegian government is set to divest its country's sovereign wealth fund, worth billions of dollars, from the coal industry, beginning January 2016.

But for PMCJ, this is only the first step. After all, there are still many other big financiers of coal, especially among European Union nations.

PMCJ calls on the public to continue to be more vigilant and help grow the movement fighting climate change.

The group launched a signature campaign against coal projects in the Philippines.

They hope to collect at least one million signatures by December, in time for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, France.

With the million signatures, they want to convince the government to cease all coal projects in the country and instead, invest more in clean and renewable sources of energy.

To donate your signature, go to Energy Transformation Now!

 

 

Source: ABS-CBN News | 08 June 2015