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Greenpeace activists tell JBIC: "Stop funding climate change, go for renewables"
November 22, 2005
Greenpeace activists confront JBIC officials with their demands for investing in clean renewable energy.
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This confrontation came after a series of the Greenpeace actions in
Hong Kong, Australia, and Philippines demanding an "Energy Revolution",
by introducing more clean renewable energy and phasing-out
environmentally and socially harmful energy sources, like coal in the
Asian region. With a banner saying "Stop Funding Climate Change, Go for
Clean Renewable Energy", Greenpeace activists and a community leaders
from Thailand, Philippines, Chile, India, and China directly delivered
their messages of "Energy Revolution" to the bank.
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the largest governmental development bank and export credit agency in Asia, has been making little efforts--far from being sufficient--to stop dangerous climate change and alleviate local problems, and disbursing substantial Japanese tax payers' money to many dirty energy projects in Asia, including US$233 million to the 1400MW coal- fired power plant being constructed for the Map Ta Phut industrial estate in Thailand.
Unless JBIC and the Japanese government change their course of investments and support clean renewable energy in developing regions, it would be very difficult to prevent dangerous effects of global warming said Greenpeace Japan Climate Change campaigner, Masaaki Nakajima. "The Japanese government asserts all countries should participate in the UN international efforts to mitigate climate change, but it is the Japanese government and JBIC that are hampering the clean and sustainable development in those developing countries. This is sheer contradiction to their argument" he added.
In addition to fuelling climate change, the construction of the power plant in Map Ta Phut estate is already polluting our water, eroding our coast and affecting our fisheries. It is having a severe impact on the health and livelihood of local people. The Thai community leader in the Map Ta Phut, Charoen Detkhum, who has been fighting against polluting developments forced on his community for decades, is arguing financiers like JBIC should not be using public money to lock his country into this polluting power system that destroy his community and alleviate climate change problems.
"JBIC must start new way of thinking for financing cleaner, safer solutions. We are delivering concrete real solutions, including Wind Guangdong in China, and renewables initiative in Philippines and India. The direction JBIC and Japanese government must look at is clear, now is the time to act for sustainable future" concluded Nakajima.
Contact Information:
Masaaki Nakajima, Greenpeace Japan Climate Change Campaigner, +81-80-5416-6506
Keiko Shirokawa, Greenpeace Japan Press Officer, +81-3-5338-9800
Photos: John Novis, Greenpeace
International
Photo Editor +31 6 53 81 91 21
Briefing papers on Charoen Detkhum, JBIC and Map Ta Phut, Wind Guangdong are available on request
Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organisation that uses non-violent creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems to force solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the largest governmental development bank and export credit agency in Asia, has been making little efforts--far from being sufficient--to stop dangerous climate change and alleviate local problems, and disbursing substantial Japanese tax payers' money to many dirty energy projects in Asia, including US$233 million to the 1400MW coal- fired power plant being constructed for the Map Ta Phut industrial estate in Thailand.
Unless JBIC and the Japanese government change their course of investments and support clean renewable energy in developing regions, it would be very difficult to prevent dangerous effects of global warming said Greenpeace Japan Climate Change campaigner, Masaaki Nakajima. "The Japanese government asserts all countries should participate in the UN international efforts to mitigate climate change, but it is the Japanese government and JBIC that are hampering the clean and sustainable development in those developing countries. This is sheer contradiction to their argument" he added.
In addition to fuelling climate change, the construction of the power plant in Map Ta Phut estate is already polluting our water, eroding our coast and affecting our fisheries. It is having a severe impact on the health and livelihood of local people. The Thai community leader in the Map Ta Phut, Charoen Detkhum, who has been fighting against polluting developments forced on his community for decades, is arguing financiers like JBIC should not be using public money to lock his country into this polluting power system that destroy his community and alleviate climate change problems.
"JBIC must start new way of thinking for financing cleaner, safer solutions. We are delivering concrete real solutions, including Wind Guangdong in China, and renewables initiative in Philippines and India. The direction JBIC and Japanese government must look at is clear, now is the time to act for sustainable future" concluded Nakajima.
Contact Information:
Masaaki Nakajima, Greenpeace Japan Climate Change Campaigner, +81-80-5416-6506
Keiko Shirokawa, Greenpeace Japan Press Officer, +81-3-5338-9800
Photos: John Novis, Greenpeace
International
Photo Editor +31 6 53 81 91 21
Briefing papers on Charoen Detkhum, JBIC and Map Ta Phut, Wind Guangdong are available on request
Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organisation that uses non-violent creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems to force solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
