PMCJ: Fossil Gas Investment Summit Submits PH to Climate Criminals, Shamelessly Prioritizing Profits Over Climate
- Media Communications
- Nov 18, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 13
Record-breaking typhoons just swept various regions in the country, and yet the government is brewing another disaster.
The consequences of the continued reliance on fossil fuels are seen in the face of more destructive and intensified typhoons landing in the Philippines. Today, climate criminals are holding the 4th Philippine Natural Gas Investment Summit with no shame to the people who lost their loved ones, scraping what’s left with their crops, after a series of six typhoons ravaged the country in less than a month.
Contrary to President Bongbong Marcos’ message to the guests of the summit, gas is not a better alternative for a green and low-carbon economy. The promotion of fossil gas as a cleaner alternative due to lower carbon emissions is a big lie. Fossil gas releases methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas that contributes over 40% to global warming. Methane emissions put up dangerous air pollutants causing harm to our health and biodiversity. The spotlight on gas in the transition brings renewable energy (RE) to the back burner, submits the Filipino people to more catastrophic disasters, and impedes the country’s commitment to limit global warming to 1.5C.
The path to energy efficiency and affordability, and a greener future for every Filipino is a challenge to the government to shift away from pursuing business as usual. Turning a blind eye to the energy-dependence risks of natural gas is alarming. As the Malampaya gas field faces depletion from 2027 to 2029, pooling investments to the expansion of the natural gas industry and allowing more exploration and extraction of gas do not make any sense. This raises concerns about energy security as it unfolds the continued reliance of the country on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG as a fossil gas is also expensive even if it is domestically sourced.
When the Department of Energy (DOE) marked the Philippines as an LNG hub during the 2nd LNG and “Clean” Energy Investment Summit in 2021, advancing fossil gas despite the RE potential of the country was a systematic attempt to prioritize profit over people.
Nearly a third of the nation's energy needs are met by the 5,779 megawatts of installed RE capacity as of December 2023. With a potential capacity of up to 134,822 MW, there are more than 1,200 RE projects planned, which is more than we will ever require. The Gas Summit is a detour from the country’s commitment to peak its fossil fuel use. This narrative continues as fossil gas dominates in the energy transition talks while the government is also canceling hundreds of RE contracts.
LNG is never clean. It releases harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and particulate matter. These can contribute to smog, acid rain, respiratory problems, and cardiovascular diseases. PMCJ’s policy paper argued that while the proponents of fossil gas support it as a “clean” alternative to coal, there are still unknown health effects from pipeline leakages and the long-term effects of methane.
Residents living close to Batangas's fossil gas power facilities, in particular, have unusual health issues. Barangays Dela Paz Proper, Ilijan, Malitam, Sta. Rita Karsada, Sta. Rita Aplaya, Tabangao Ambulong, and Tabangao Aplaya have abnormally high rates of cardiovascular diseases and respiratory infections, according to health data collected by the PMCJ in 2019 from the Batangas City Health Office.
Seemingly, they had all their hands on deck as Congress adopted Senate Bill No. 2793, known as the Philippine Natural Gas Industry Development Act. Despite the public clamor and concerns over the health and environmental impacts of gas, the continuous dubbing of fossil gas as a transition fuel has been widely used as a justification for the adoption of RE sources.
The big companies and corporations that are present in the Fossil Gas Summit are supported by the Gas Bill throughout their operations. The rejected amendment to cross-ownership limits in fossil facilities that shall be monitored by the Energy Regulatory Commission spoke volumes, as they want monopolies to flourish.
We have been proving, time and again, that fossil fuels must end, and investing on RE can be done. Last September the PMCJ, together with the provincial government of Albay, successfully conducted the Albay Renewable Energy and Investments Summit which secured a significant number of clean energy projects.
DOE's RE Management Bureau Director even participated and spoke to the event, assuring the people that they are one with us in the 100 percent RE target by 2030.
We reject dubious stances and call for accountability of these blood-stricken agencies and institutions that are pushing the country to a pit of lies and disillusionment.
A specter is haunting climate criminals–the specter of renewables. All the powers of climate crisis victims have entered into the ongoing fight, to end fossil fuels, to exorcise this specter.
FOR INQUIRIES
Ellenor Bartolome
Senior Executive Officer for Policy, Campaigns, & Communications
Philippine Movement for Climate Justice
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