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21 November 2005--"Solar Generation Kids", a group of young Greenpeace volunteers, hold paper windmills as the Greenpeace flagship The Rainbow Warrior as it sails into the port of Bacolod on its last leg of the Philippines part of its Asia Energy Revolution Tour 2005. The Rainbow Warrior sails through the Asian region to campaign for therejection of dirty energy sources, particularly coal, and to promote clean and renewable energy alternatives like wind, solar, hydro and modern biomass.
Enlarge ImageAs the Asia Energy Revolution Tour
moves to Thailand, Greenpeace International’s Athena Ballesteros said:
“Leadership and political will from national governments and
international financial institutions is necessary to complete a process
that was started over three years ago. Without their commitment,
communities all over Southeast Asia will continue to suffer the effects
of coal and fossil fuel dependency.”
Negros is one of the few provinces in the Philippines with a renewable energy policy. But they need the financial backing to complete the phasing in of renewable energy, without which the policy would fail.
“Negros has demonstrated that communities can take the renewable energy route and challenge the will of the coal plant industry, organisations that fund them like the Japan International Bank for Cooperation (JBIC) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and countries like Australia which fuel their dependence on coal,” said Ballesteros.
In 2002, Negros became the first ever community in the Philippines and Asia to reject a coal power plant installation. The province of Negros Occidental has since committed to becoming the first ever province in the Philippines and Southeast Asia to be powered 100% by renewable energy such as wind, solar, geothermal and modern biomass.
A recent report concluded that the Philippines and Asia are facing the likelihood of devastating social and economic disruption if climate change in the region is not addressed immediately. (1)
“Institutions like the JBIC and the ADB who bankroll climate change should see the Negros experience as an opportunity to change course immediately. Greenpeace demands that both institutions alter their lending portfolios towards a 10% funding of renewable energy projects by 2010 and 20% by 2020,” said Ballesteros. “The people of the Philippines and Asia require leadership if we are to avert future disasters. The world urgently needs an energy policy that reflects the reality of climate change.”
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.
Negros is one of the few provinces in the Philippines with a renewable energy policy. But they need the financial backing to complete the phasing in of renewable energy, without which the policy would fail.
“Negros has demonstrated that communities can take the renewable energy route and challenge the will of the coal plant industry, organisations that fund them like the Japan International Bank for Cooperation (JBIC) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and countries like Australia which fuel their dependence on coal,” said Ballesteros.
In 2002, Negros became the first ever community in the Philippines and Asia to reject a coal power plant installation. The province of Negros Occidental has since committed to becoming the first ever province in the Philippines and Southeast Asia to be powered 100% by renewable energy such as wind, solar, geothermal and modern biomass.
A recent report concluded that the Philippines and Asia are facing the likelihood of devastating social and economic disruption if climate change in the region is not addressed immediately. (1)
“Institutions like the JBIC and the ADB who bankroll climate change should see the Negros experience as an opportunity to change course immediately. Greenpeace demands that both institutions alter their lending portfolios towards a 10% funding of renewable energy projects by 2010 and 20% by 2020,” said Ballesteros. “The people of the Philippines and Asia require leadership if we are to avert future disasters. The world urgently needs an energy policy that reflects the reality of climate change.”
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.
Contact Information:
Red Constantino, Regional Energy campaigner, +63 917 524 1123
Athena Ballesteros, Greenpeace International Energy Campaigner + 63 917 813 1562
Michael Kessler, Greenpeace International Communications + 63 915 945 0066
(1) Crisis or Opportunity: Climate Change Impacts and the Philippines, see www.asiacleanenergy.org
Let's Go 10% By 2010!
Tell the ADB to promote clean energy!
