6 August 2002 Victory: Dirty energy dies in Philippines The count down to the Earth Summit is on
and developing nations are proving that we can make a difference
Manila/Negros:
Despite attempts by developed nations, dirty energy is being killed
off in the Philippines and the country is ready to embrace a future
full of clean renewable energy.
A 50 megawatt coal-fired power station
proposed by a now bankrupt US company, to be built by a French/UK
corporation and run on imported Australian coal in the province
of Negros was declared officially "dead" by Philippine
government officials. They agree that renewable energy is the solution
to the province's power needs.
The death-knell for the Pulupandan
coal-power project came as the Governor of Negros province, the
Energy Undersecretary and several non-government organisations including
Greenpeace signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide financial
and technical support to renewable energy projects and mainstream
clean energy technologies such as solar, wind and modern biomass.
"The Department of Energy has
already abandoned any talks, plans, whatever you want to call it,
to promote the coal-fired project in Pulupandan," Undersecretary
of the Philippines Department of Energy, Cyril del Callar said.
"So let's put it to rest, OK? And we have to move forward -
the answer is we have to use renewable energy."
Negros Governor Joseph Marañon
says they are ready to embrace renewable energy and chart a sustainable
energy future. "I wish to declare the full support of the province
of Negros Occidental for renewable energy development. I am confident
that with all of us here, united and committed towards this common
goal, the quest for a greener and pollution free Negros, will soon
be a reality, today and in the future," said Marañon.
Two billion people around the world
currently live without electricity and developed nations are trying
to push dirty and dangerous technologies such as coal and nuclear
energies on these developing nations. They are promoting the very
technologies their own citizens reject.
But communities in the Philippines
aren't buying their rhetoric. The proposed coal-fired power plant
was opposed by local community and environmental groups since 1998.
Before that, three municipalities had already rejected it. Communities
from around the world can look to Negros as an inspirational example
of how they can demand - and get - clean energy, even if national
governments or big businesses stand in their way.
And if a developing country like the
Philippines can reject dirty energy, it's time for rich countries
to do the same.
Later this month world governments
will meet in Johannesburg for the Earth Summit. We want them to
commit to providing clean and affordable renewable energy for developing
nations. We also want governments to commit to converting 10 percent
of their energy sources to clean, renewable energy 2010.
Governments can't let visionary
developing nations down by continuing to keep the dirty energy industry
alive.
Note to Editors:
For more information or interviews,
in the Philippines contact Athena Ballesteros on +63 917 813 1562
or Red Constantino on +63 917 5241123 , or Louise Fraser on +61
409 993 568.
Manila/Negros:
Despite attempts by developed nations, dirty energy is being killed
off in the Philippines and the country is ready to embrace a future
full of clean renewable energy.