By Danessa Rivera (The
Philippine Star) | Updated May 27, 2016 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - President
Aquino has signed a resolution for an urgent comprehensive review of the
country’s energy policy aimed at cutting down the nation’s dependence on coal
and facilitate the faster shift to renewables as sources of energy.
The major energy policy review will
be done within six months, to be led by the Climate Change Commission (CCC).
The resolution facilitates “a
national policy review and framework development on energy, through a
whole-of-nation approach, in accordance with a low carbon development pathway
and national goals and targets for climate change mitigation and adaptation,
disaster risk reduction and sustainable development.”
It aims to put in place a clear
government policy on coal-fired power plants, which is the biggest source of
man-made carbon emissions as it accounts for about 35 percent of global
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
“We are happy that President Aquino
signed the resolution, which is a major step to steer the country away from
coal and accelerate the transition to clean, renewable energy that is
consistent with our efforts to fight climate change and pursue the development
of a green economy,” CCC vice chairman Emmanuel De Guzman said.
“It is the obligation of the government to act
to save the people from climate change and not wait. The poor and the
vulnerable stand to lose if we don’t act with urgency,” he added.
Under the resolution, the Department
of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Energy (DOE) and
the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) are urged to harmonize
policies and regulations on new and existing coal-fired power plants and assess
their impact on the environment.
The policies and regulations should
also include low-carbon development and climate change adaptation and
mitigation strategies in the formulation of all national and local development
plans.
De Guzman said the review will pave
the way for a swift transition to renewable energy, enhance energy efficiency
and conservation, and ensure clean, affordable and reliable energy for the
entire country.
He said this transition is supported
by existing laws such as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2011
and the Renewable Energy Law of 2008.
De Guzman also said the CCC
resolution is an affirmation of the government’s commitment to mainstream low
carbon development pathway in accordance with the country’s commitment under
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its
intended nationally determined contribution (INDC).
In October 2015, the Philippines
pledged to reduce its GHG emissions by 70 percent by 2030, coming from the
energy, transport, waste, forestry and industry sectors.
The Philippines supported the
adoption of the global climate accord reached in Paris, France in December last
year. The Philippine government signed last month the Paris Agreement on the
recommendation of the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change Adaptation and
Mitigation.
The country also supported the
adoption of the Sendai Framework on Disaster Reduction Risk Reduction 2015-2030
and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which both advocate for a
balance between economic growth and environmental protection toward building a
resilient future.
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