Climate Justice Group condemns Department of Energy affinity with Conference of Polluters

While countries in the world are in COP 22 in Morocco debating how not to breach the 1.5 degree C average temperature increase limit for a livable climate, the Philippines’ Department of Energy is playing host to the upcoming Philippine Coal Business and Policy Forum and International Coal Trans this November 16-17, 2016. This has not been the first time the Department of Energy endorsed an event focused on the coal industry. In the year 2014, DoE has actively participated in the Coal Business and Policy Forum.

Mr. Ian Rivera, National Coordinator of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) now participating in the Conference of Parties (COP) 22 in Marrakech said that the Philippine Coal Business and Policy Forum and the International Coal Trans is a conference of polluters and its agenda is how to prop-up the already sagging coal business in Asia. “What is distasteful in this event is the Philippines role in this conference of climate criminals and why it has to choose to be in this company which is the main culprit in the destruction of the earth’s climate system.” Rivera added.

The global climate system is in the verge of collapse as carbon emissions have already reached unprecedented level. No less than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) mentioned that with the remaining allowable carbon budget, the world only has 5 years remaining to emit business as usual.

“It is very hypocritical of us as a country that while the Philippine Government sends its delegates to the COP22 negotiating with other countries on how to limit our global temperature, the DoE is busy supporting events in the Philippines that promote polluting the Earth” Atty. Aaron Pedrosa, Head of the PMCJ Working Group on Energy strongly stressed.

PMCJ demands that the Department of Energy (DoE) withdraw its support in the Philippine Coal Business and Policy Forum and International Coal Trans . “So long as our national government agencies, like the DoE, do not see the urgency to stop promoting the use of coal, the developed countries will continue to evade on their obligations and remain uncommitted to their historical responsibility to all the vulnerable countries in the world.” Rivera concluded.

PMCJ, the largest climate justice group in the country will hold mobilization to stop the said procoal
events happening this week.