Low Carbon News in Philippines in November 2013
Green groups to DOE: What happened to renewable energy?
Despite the government’s Renewable Energy Plan, the country’s energy outlook remains very much coal-oriented. This was the major grievance expressed by environmentalists during the National Conference on People’s Energy held from November 4 to 6 in Quezon City.
“In spite of the stated goal of increasing renewable energy in the Philippines, in its actual content, it’s still very focused on scaling up fossil fuel energy, in particular coal,” Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) Convenor Lidy Nacpil told Rappler.
As of August, there were 31 coal operating contracts at the development and production stage, she said. An additional 17 coal plant projects using a total of 26 boiler facilities are in the pipeline. But even without these coal plants being built, 84% of Philippine energy is already derived from fossil fuels, a non-renewable source of energy responsible for 35% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Source: Rappler, http://www.rappler.com/nation/43029-pmcj-doe-renewable-energy-act
22 November 2013
Low Emission Capacity Building Global Program
The Philippines is one of the 25 participating countries in a global programme focused on climate change capacity building for low emission. The global programme is being executed by the UNDP with funding assistance from the European Commission, Germany and Australia over a four-year period. The overall programme aims to strengthen national capacities on the following:
i. Greenhouse gas inventories;
ii. Formulate Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Strategies (NAMAs) and/or Low Carbon Development Strategies (LEDS) in the context of national development;
iii. Design measurable, reportable and verifiable (MRV) systems;
iv. Facilitate design and adoption of mitigation actions of selected industries; and
v. Support design of the MRV systems for industrial mitigation measures.
Source: Climate Change Commission, http://climate.gov.ph/project/lecb
25 November 2013
Greeneration Summit: Tapping the bayanihan spirit of the youth
More than a thousand students and youth leaders gathered on Monday, November 25, at the Mall of Asia SMX to learn about climate change and its impact on the planet. Organized by the Climate Change Commission (CCC), the first day of the Greeneration Summit: A National Gathering for Youth Empowerment on Climate Change was a gathering for the youth to discuss different initiatives that they can do to help mitigate the impact of climate change. CCC Secretary Lucille Sering said climate change is a global issue of utmost importance especially because of the Philippines’ geographic location.
Source: Climate Change Commission, http://climate.gov.ph/newsandupdates/greeneration-summit-tapping-bayanihan-spirit-youth
26 November 2013
Climate change summit highlights importance of mangroves
An expert on climate change yesterday raised the importance of mangrove forests as barriers to natural calamities such as typhoons and storm surges.
“In other countries, you can see the positive effects of mangrove forests. Planting mangroves is an affordable solution, a win-win solution that can help us during natural calamities,” said Rodeo Lasco of the OML Center-Science for Climate Resilient Communities in a press briefing during the Greeneration Summit held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Source: Philippine Star, http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/11/26/1260983/climate-change-summit-highlights-importance-mangroves
26 November 2013
Philippine Vice-President to LGUs: Implement climate change action plans
Each local government unit must formulate and implement its own climate change action plan.
This urgent call was made by Vice President Jejomar Binay on Tuesday, November 26, the second day of Climate Change Consciousness Week.
“In the strongest terms possible, I encourage and implore you to take full advantage of this opportunity. Learn as much as you can about how you can better prepare your community and our people against the ravages of nature that stand to grow fiercer in the coming years,” Binay said, addressing local government officials present at the event.
Source: Rappler, http://www.rappler.com/nation/44668-binay-lgu-climate-change-action-plan
28-29 Nov 2013
Clean Air Ride-Manila
The Clean Air Drive-Manila project promotes the use of non-motorized transportation options and alternative fuels to reduce emissions from vehicles. It provides an opportunity to present the concept of electric vehicles and alternative fuels in a public discussion forum.
The Nissan Global Company Limited and CO2 Green Drive of the Danish Cultural Institute have engaged Clean Air Asia and Partnership for Clean Air to implement the Clean Air Drive-Manila
Source: Clean Air Asia, http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/node/11953
27 November 2013
Renewable energy in PH affordable in long term — study
The benefits of renewable energy for power consumers in the Philippines will overtake its currently high cost, according to a study. In a report released by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH or the German Society for International Cooperation, renewable energy (RE), particularly in the Philippines, can help answer the country’s growing energy demand despite concerns about high cost and unreliability compared to coal and oil.
GIZ explained that once the current Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) regime, or the monetary incentive government gives to power producers involved in RE generation, becomes effective, the impact on household electricity bill becomes affordable.
Source: Rappler, http://www.rappler.com/business/industries/173-power-and-energy/31969-renewable-energy-is-sustainable-competitive-study
28 November 2013
Ecotown project echoes win-win strategy to economic and environmental sustainability
In the heels of super typhoon Yolanda’s fury, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) have pushed for the adoption of Ecotown framework.
The Commission said that the demonstration of Ecotown framework “emphasizes that economic growth and climate change can be mutually enforcing if we could fully take advantage of the concomitant shared opportunities.”
Given the Philippines’ extreme vulnerability to climate change, CCC stressed the need to view adaptation as a necessity rather than an option.
Source: The Manila Times, http://manilatimes.net/ecotown-project-echoes-win-win-strategy-to-economic-and-environmental-sustainability/56336/
29 November 2013
Climate change commission bares ecotown project
The Climate Change Commission (CCC) has bared the details of its ecotown project to be implemented in at least 10 municipalities.
Five of the municipalities — Del Carmen, Pilar, San Benito, and San Isidro in the province of Surigao del Norte and San Vicente in Palawan — are covered under the CCC’s partnership with the Seoul-based Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).
“The Philippines’ version of an ecotown pays more attention to adaptation and the emphasis is on anticipatory planning to prepare for the inevitable effects of climate change. This initiative is the first of its kind at the municipal level that attempts to integrate and mainstream climate change adaptation measures, together with disaster risk reduction in the local development plans, programs and activities to promote green growth,” said Assistant Secretary Joy Goco.
Source: The Philippine Star, http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/11/29/1262137/climate-change-commission-bares-ecotown-project