A favorable investment climate must be created in order to enable massive uptake of renewable energy in the country and immediately halt further construction and expansion of coal-fired power plants, the biggest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions. To continue building coal plants at a time when extreme weather events are crippling the country will make a mockery of any government effort to address climate change. Further efforts should include a national policy that would mandate efficiency standards of electrical appliances, and set obligatory efficiency measures for structures such as buildings, etc.
Greenpeace today also called upon ASEAN leaders including President Arroyo who are all meeting in Thailand to demonstrate collective leadership to protect Southeast Asia’s 850 million people from the debilitating impacts of climate change by committing to low carbon development and zero deforestation to force the leaders of the developed countries to agree to deep and binding cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions at the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen in December to avert a climate crisis.
“ASEAN citizens are already reeling under catastrophic impacts of climate change, as was cruelly made clear by Typhoon Ondoy in the Philippines last month. And yet the developed countries especially USA and EU have so far failed to show the needed urgency to avoid reaching a tipping point beyond which these impacts become irreversible.” Said Zelda Soriano, Political Advisor of Greenpeace Southeast Asia
“Therefore it is critical that ASEAN member states, collectively and en bloc support the completion of a strong climate deal in Copenhagen in December and as a sign of their contribution to the needed emission reduction targets announce a commitment to zero deforestation and prioritize options which will strategically liberate our societies from the treadmill of carbon intensive and fossil-fuel based systems." she added.
In December, the world has a historic opportunity to step back from the brink of catastrophic climate change. The burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas is not the only cause of global warming. Tropical forest destruction accounts for about a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than all the world’s trains, planes and cars put together. In order to achieve a significant deviation from business as usual growth of emissions in developing countries, action on forest protection is urgent. Deforestation is responsible for about 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Greenpeace is demanding that industrialized nations offer quick and deep cuts in emissions, put on the table 140 billion US dollars a year to help developing nations adapt and mitigate to climate change and to protect forests.
Greenpeace is an independent, global campaigning organization that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment, and to promote peace.
