DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 16 October) — Dependence on coal for energy will not help the country achieve its commitment under the Paris Agreement on climate change to cut greenhouse emissions by 70 percent by 2030, an environmental group said.
Mylai Santos, director of Ecoteneo at the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU), told MindaNews on Sunday that coal dependence is detrimental to local communities, including Barangay Ned in South Cotabato where “dirty coal is being mined by San Miguel Corporation.”
“Barangay Ned is 41,247 hectares in land area yet it is covered by 36,000 hectares of coal operating contracts covering Bagumbayan as well,” she said.
The Paris Agreement, which entered into force on November 4, 2016, targets to limit “global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels” as part of global efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects.
Under this agreement, countries “aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible to achieve a climate neutral world by mid-century.”
A plea ten years ago. Members of the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) gather outside Waterfront Hotel in Davao City on April 13, 2012 to protest the proposed coal-fired power plants in Mindanao to avert the power crisis. Mindanews file photo by KEITH BACONGCO
The Philippines signed the Paris Agreement on April 23, 2016, and it was subsequently ratified by the Senate on March 23, 2017 under the administration of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Engr. Nilo Geroche, director of the Department of Energy-Mindanao Field Office, told “Wednesday’s at Habi at Kape” at the Abreeza Mall, that the non-renewal sources are from coal and oil-based, comprising 51% and 18%, respectively, of the island’s electricity mix.
He said the hydro sources, which previously supplied majority of Mindanao’s power mix, contributed 26%, solar at 2%, geothermal at 2% and biomass at 1%.
Geroche said the supplies of coal and oil in the Philippines are imported. For coal, he said 97% comes from Kalimantan Indonesia.
Dr. Jean Lindo, environmental activist who co-chairs Panalipdan! Mindanao, said the Philippines should double its efforts on developing more renewable energy sources as the adverse impact of climate change is real.
She said other countries “are overtaking their high targets.”
When one gets the information that 69% of our energy comes from fossil fuel and see that other countries are achieving 98% RE (renewable energy), one would get really disappointed,” she said.
She said based on the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Program 2020-2040, the country targets to source electricity from 35% renewable energy by 2030 and 50% by 2040.
“This is very low target,” she said
“The dominance of non-RE reflects the love of decision-makers for dirty energy for whatever justification or excuse they have. I think this also reflects the fact that the corporate world clouds the capacity of decision makers to make scientifically sound choices,” she said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)