As the environmental ministers of the G8 - the richest
industrialised countries in the world - assemble in Japan to
discuss solutions to climate change, Greenpeace calls on them to
follow the lead of the Governor of Albay Province, Joey Sarte
Salceda, who on Wednesday declared Albay a coal-free zone: "We
believe there is no place for coal in a world beset by climate
change and certainly there is no place for coal in Albay," he
announced.
"The G8 Countries need to realise that more coal is not the
solution to the energy issues we face. If a developing country like
the Philippines can do it, wealthy, developed countries, like the
G8, can certainly do without new coal fired power plants and
instead build up an efficient and clean energy system. Greenpeace's
'
Energy Revolution' shows this can be done," said Jasper
Inventor, Climate and Energy Campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast
Asia.
Burning coal is the single biggest source of CO2 emissions, and
a major cause of global warming. The Philippines being an
archipelagic developing country composed of more than 7,000 small
islands is highly vulnerable to current climate risks as well as
future climate change. (1) Changes in weather patterns will mean
more frequent cyclone devastation, mudslides and droughts. Rising
sea levels threaten low lying islands. Last year the country was
identified by the NGO Germanwatch as the nation most affected
by climate change. (2)
The Philippines has 54 percent more electricity generating
capacity than it needs, but rather than investing in resolving the
problems in the electricity grid, which mean this capacity is lost,
the government proposes new coal-fired power plants and the
expansion of existing plants.
"The Philippine government should take Albay's declaration as an
urgent call to action against climate change. It is untenable to
continue our dependence on coal given its increasing price in the
market and the environmental impacts attached to it. Coal will
actually exacerbate our energy insecurities. The Philippines should
send a strong message to ASEAN countries to lead the way in phasing
out the use of coal. Greenpeace is also calling on developed
countries to provide assistance to developing countries, like the
Philippines, to help fight climate change," concluded Jasper
Inventor.
The Rainbow Warrior is in the Philippines to spearhead the
Greenpeace "Quit Coal Tour" in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The
tour aims to promote solutions to stop climate change -- an energy
revolution away from the use of climate-damaging coal, and a
massive shift to renewable energy.
Other contacts: Beau Baconguis, Campaigner Manager, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, +63 91 7803 6077Lea Guerero, Media Campaigner on-board the Rainbow Warrior, +63 91 6374 4969Beth Herzfeld, Media Relations, Greenpeace International, +44 (0) 7717 802 891
VVPR info: Greenpeace International Photo Desk +44 (0) 7801 615 889Greenpeace International Video Desk +31 646 16 2015
Notes: (1) Research by Dr. Leoncio Amadore, one of the Philippines’ foremost meteorologists, showed that the Philippine archipelago has already suffered severely from extreme weather events. His report ‘Crisis or Opportunity: Climate change impacts and the Philippines,’ indicates that from 1975 to 2002, intensifying tropical cyclones caused an annual average of 593 deaths and damage to property of 4.5 billion Philippine pesos (around US$83 million), including damage to agriculture of 3 billion pesos (around US$55 million).(2) Germanwatch's Global Climate Risk Index, 2008