Philippines: Greenpeace to oppose construction of Iloilo coal plant

Iloilo City, 8 February 2008–Greenpeace today slammed the proposed 165
Megawatt coal-fired power plant in Iloilo while criticizing the
Philippine government’s two-faced energy policy that purports to address
climate change, even as it continues to invest in coal, which is now
recognized by international climate experts as a major contributor to
destructive global warming.

In a joint press conference with Responsible Ilonggos for Sustainable
Energy (RISE) in Iloilo City, the environment group announced that it
was joining the local communities’ struggle to stop the construction of
the coal-fired plant in Iloilo City.

“The Iloilo coal plant should not be built. We challenge President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to be true to her word and ‘assume the mantle of
leadership and work to address the challenge of climate change.’” said
Greenpeace Southeast Asia Climate and Energy Campaigner Jasper Inventor.
“You can’t talk sustainable energy solutions while peddling coal on the
side–it’s complete hypocrisy.” he added

Coal is the dirtiest, most carbon intensive of all fossil fuels.
Emitting 29 percent more carbon per unit of energy than oil and 80
percent more than gas, it is one of the leading contributors to climate
change. Burning coal also releases massive amounts of substances such
as mercury and arsenic that are toxic to human health and create acutely
detrimental effects on developing economies and hosting communities.

However, the government currently has at least eight coal-fired plants
lined up for construction or expansion in the country: 165 MW in Iloilo
City, Iloilo, 300 MW expansion in Pagbilao, Quezon Province, 200 MW each
in Naga and Toledo Cities in Cebu, 300 MW expansion in Masinloc,
Zambales, 100 MW in Concepcion, Iloilo, 300 MW in Olongapo, Zambales,
and 150 MW in Sultan Kudarat.

“Coal-fired power plants already account for 36% of the country’s total
CO2 emissions, it is time that the RP government gets serious about
exploiting the renewable energy sources that are abundant in our
country. Sun, wind and geothermal energy tapping technologies are ready
to deliver, what is needed is political will to deploy them.” Inventor said.

Greenpeace is an independent, global campaigning organization that acts
to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the
environment, and to promote peace.

For more information:
Jasper Inventor, Climate and Energy Campaigner, +63 917 300 9567
jasper.inventor@greenpeace.org
Lea Guerrero, Media Campaigner, +63 920 950 6877, +63 2 434 70 34 loc
121, lea.guerrero@greenpeace.org