Energy Transformation Now!

CAMPAIGN AGAINST COAL PROJECTS

WE, the concerned citizens of the Philippines are alarmed of the proliferation of coal projects in the country.

Despite the vast potential of renewable energy in the country which could go as high as more than 200,000 MW based on government data, the existence of relevant laws like the Renewable Energy Law of 2008 and Climate Change Law 2009, we are distressed with the approval of 59 coal plants and 118 coal mining permits, and 15 more coal plants in the pipeline.

Even the National Renewable Energy Board identifies fossil fuel as a hindrance to renewable energy. This trajectory will only lead to more coal dependence, with coal comprising more than 50% of the overall power mix. This is a reversal in favor to fossil fuel and a betrayal to the intentions of Renewable Energy Law: energy self-sufficiency and energy transformation in the country.

Coal is not cheap. It comes with a horrifyingly huge cost to the environment and to people. Dirty energy robs communities of their health, livelihood and rights, as it is linked to increased mortality, human rights violations and massive displacement. The proliferation of coal-dependence further exacerbates the conditions of peoples already vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

WE AFFIRM the importance of community organizations and cooperatives. We call for the strengthening of the democratic processes which would uphold and foster the rights of communities, basic sectors and consumers in addressing energy issues.
WE CALL on the National Government, its concerned agencies as well as the local government units, to lead the transition to public, community-based democratic renewable energy systems as an alternative to the promotion of coal plants;
WE OPPOSE the establishment of new coal plants to address the power demand of the country. We thus demand on the government to revisit and amend the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) to reflect the urgency of tapping into renewable energy systems, the promotion of RE and ultimately the phasing out of fossil-fuel based power generation plants.
WE OPPOSE the issuance of new COCs for coal mining operations. Coal mining has no place in a country like ours where addressing the impacts of climate change and boosting our adaptive capacity are the order of the day.
WE DEMAND reparations for all coal-affected communities, and a just transition for all workers who will be affected by any form of transition away from coal.
WE DEMAND reparations for all coal-affected communities.
WE DEMAND the overhaul of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 which continues to allow the unchecked and liberalized construction of dirty and harmful energy projects such as coal plants.

President of the Republic of the Philippines;
Secretary of the Department of Energy;
Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources;
Secretary of Health;
Senate of the Philippine Leadership, Committee on Energy, Committee on Environment,
Committee on Climate Change;
House of Representative Leadership, Committee on Energy, Committee on Ecology,
Committee on Climate Change;
Climate Change Commission;
Commission on Human Rights;
 
We the concerned citizens of the Philippines are alarmed of the proliferation of coal projects in the country.
 
Despite the vast potential of renewable energy in the country which could go as high as more than 200,000 MW based on government data, the existence of relevant laws like the Renewable Energy Law of 2008 and Climate Change Law 2009, we are distressed with the approval of 59 coal plants and 118 coal mining permits, and 15 more coal plants in the pipeline. According to the National Renewable Energy Board, this trajectory will only lead to more coal energy dependence which would lead to an 80-90% of coal energy in the overall power mix – massive reversal in favor to fossil fuel and a betrayal to the intention of Renewable Energy Law, energy self sufficiency and energy transformation in the country.
 
Coal is not cheap, it comes with a horrifying cost to people, the environment, and the climate. Clean coal is a big lie. Coal kills. Other countries are already phasing out coal like the US and China due to its negative impacts and public clamor. Just recently, Norwegian government have divested from coal investments, the biggest pension fund in the world, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change have supported divesting away from coal.
 
Our country is at the frontline of the climate crisis and is bearing the brunt.  We agree with the many recent scientific studies which argue that 85-90% of coal should no longer be extracted and burned to prevent higher global temperature then 1.5 – 2.0 degrees and avert catastrophic climate change. The recent 2014 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its 5th Assessment Report clearly points the grim projection of potential negative impacts in the world and in our region should global temperature rise. It is inconceivable that the Aquino government still supports further coal dependence in the country.
 
We would also like to remind the President of his pronouncement to the whole world last September 2014 during the United Nations Assembly on Climate Change, where he said that his administration has the resolved to embark into a clean energy path.  But where is it now?
 
We are running out of time. Change must start now.

We are affixing our signatures in this petition based on the call of 150 organizations and coal-affected communities that gathered in Davao City in August 2014 that called for a transition away from coal and fossil fuel energy, and towards an accessible and affordable renewable energy system in the country.

Let us all walk the climate and renewable energy talk now.

Renewable Energy for All. 
No to new coal projects. 
Transition plan to all existing coal plants

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