by Imelda V. Abano
– Philippines –
Environmental group Greenpeace called on Asian governments to work in mitigating the impacts of climate change by shifting to renewable energy sources.
The challenge to Asian governments was made April 28, at the launch of the report, Energy Revolution: A sustainable East Asia Energy Outlook, timed ahead of the third working group meeting of the ninth session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in Bangkok that took place on May 4.
“Developing countries in Asia must stabilize its carbon dioxide emissions by choosing renewable energy and enhancing energy efficiency, while at the same time increasing energy consumption through economic growth,” said Jasper Inventor, climate and energy campaigner of Greenpeace South East Asia.
The report, Inventor said, is a practical blueprint on how the region can help lessen global climate change impacts by reducing carbon emissions by as much as 50 percent within the next 43 years.
“It concludes that a massive uptake of renewable energy sources is not only technically possible, but combined with the smart use of energy, it can deliver half of the world’s energy needs by 2050,” Inventor explained of the report.
Citing the new report, Inventor said the future of renewable energy development in the region strongly depends on political choices by governments.
Earlier this year, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had agreed to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and promote cleaner technologies that address air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
ASEAN’s members are the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. They signed the declaration together with the leaders of Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.
Greenpeace also urged the Philippine government to lead Asian nations to commit to a truly secure and sustainable energy future. He noted that the government has yet to take actual action on climate change, citing the failure to pass the renewable energy bill.
The group said the impact of climate change has been manifested in the Philippines in devastating storms, floods, extreme precipitation and droughts, leading to calamities that have destroyed lives and properties and have also affected the country’s economy.
“The Energy Revolution scenario comes as the world is crying out for a road map for confronting the dilemma of how countries can secure all the power they need without further fueling climate change,” Inventor said.
Leave a Reply