On the eve of the global day of action against coal last week, Filipinos showed their opposition to dirty energy in a series of protest rallies, adding their voices to the growing movement across the world that seeks to end the age of coal to save the world’s climate.
More than 60 events are being organized in 12 countries, some of which are key coal battlegrounds. The Philippines saw community action today in Davao City where protestors belonging to No To Coal Davao and Greenpeace, marched along historic Freedom Park, with a giant banner saying “End the Age of Coal”.
“Filipinos deserve to live in a coal-free environment. We want to be free from worries and fears that dirty fossil fuels like coal bring,” said Beau Baconguis, Program Manager for Greenpeace Southeast Asia. “The Philippines is already bearing the brunt of climate change impacts. It is simply illogical and immoral to pump more carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, which will only bring more destruction to the nation and will jeopardize the health and security of the country.”
All over the world, communities, business groups, and civil society are standing up and taking bold steps to pressure their governments to switch from coal or fossil fuel burning power plants to clean, sustainable, renewable energy.
Greenpeace says the aggressive development of coal-fired power plants in the country is almost criminal and contradicts the spirit of the Renewable Energy Law and other environmental laws that seek to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
The share of renewable energy in the total power generation continues to dwindle as the share for coal steadily increases year on year. In fact, there are 26 coal-fired power plant project proposals in the offing, 14 of which are already committed and 12 are indicative. “If all are constructed and become operational, it will surely edge out renewable energy technologies altogether, and lock us to dirty energy in the next three to four decades,” Baconguis stressed.
Anti- coal communities organized different activities to protest against dirty energy and to make way for a new age powered by clean, renewable energy. Cebu saw a flotilla of boats protesting near the KEPCO coal plant in Naga City, while in Zamboanga, an End the Age of Coal forum was held at the Western Mindanao State University. Simultaneous rallies were also held in Bataan, Zambales, and Sarangani.
“We will not allow the government’s short sighted vision bind us into a dirty energy future, which we are already paying a heavy price tag for its impacts,” said Dr. Jean Lindo of No To Coal Davao. “It’s time to take action and end the discussion: let’s end the age of coal!”
