ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 04/05/2012 9:07 AM | Updated as of 04/05/2012 9:07 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Environment group Greenpeace has criticized the government's alleged hasty approval of a 100-megawatt coal-fired power project in Mindanao.
The project was approved on the eve of the Holy Week holidays and just before the Energy Summit called by President Benignio Aquino on the island was to take place, according to Greenpeace.
It said the move confirms its suspicions that pro-coal business interests are out to capitalize on the current power crisis in the region.
Greenpeace claimed that no proper assessment and review of other energy options for the island were conducted by the Department of Energy (DOE).
"With this midnight approval, the government has succeeded in creating a truly agonizing Holy Week scenariofor the people of Mindanao, replete with episodes of sacrifice, false prophets, and public betrayal. After suffering from the agony of blackouts, the people are now offered false solutions in the form of coal plants guaranteed to flagellate local communities with decades of pollution that pose an immediate and lasting threat to human health, local livelihoods, and the climate,"said Greenpeace Southeast Asia executive director Von Hernandez said in a press statement.
"After the President's campaign promise to support the development of renewable energy and phase-out coal power plants prior to his election, we thought this administration would approach this problem with a greater measure of integrity and sophistication. On the contrary, he has allowed coal pushers in his team to overturn his pledge as evidenced by the DOE's existing plans to build an unprecedented number of coal plants during his term. The President should be advised that each coal plant he builds edges out the opportunity for the people of this country to harness clean and renewable power," he added.
Greenpeace descibed coal as "the dirtiest fossil fuel" that causes havoc on the environment.
"Coal is also the main driver of climate change whose catastrophic impacts include extreme weather leading to floods or drought, and rising sea levels," the group said.
It added that "that there is no such thing as 'clean coal plants.'"
Greenpeace said the DOE confirmed earlier this week that 4 coal plants and one coal power plant expansion project will be built in Mindanao.
It said President Aquino's administration is set to approve more coal plants than any of his predecessors.
"President Aquino is correct when he says that he inherited this Mindanao "power crisis" from his predecessor. However, he also inherited and actually supported the Renewable Energy Law, whose implementation is currently languishing under his Department of Energy," Hernandez said. "The President has a real opportunity to transform Mindanao's power development plans into truly inclusive, sustainable development, given the island's 'gold mine' potential for renewable energy. Instead of laying the ground for the faster approval of coal projects, the Aquino administration should prioritize the process that would finally enable the immediate and massive entry of RE projects in Mindanao and in the whole country for that matter."
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