ADB tells Asia: Boost energy efficiency amid ‘looming’ crisis

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday told Asian nations “to take radical steps” to increase efficiency and invest in renewable energy amid a “looming” crisis.

In a statement, the ADB said the strong economic growth and booming population of the Asia-Pacific region are generating the world’s fastest-growing energy demand. The multilateral creditor also projected the region’s energy needs will double by 2030.

“If left unchecked, the lack of energy security may reverse the region’s hard-won gains in poverty reduction. Continued reliance on fossil fuels will also increase the threat of climate change, thus affecting millions of Asia’s poor and vulnerable through increased natural disasters and shortages in food and water,” the ADB said.

“Asians have more to lose from climate change than any other people. The climate fight will be won or lost by decisions made in this region,” said ADB president Haruhiko Kuroda in an introduction to the 6th Asia Clean Energy Forum in Manila on Tuesday.

“An important key to lowering energy intensity is the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies and transition to renewable energy. Asia must also take radical steps to increase energy efficiency,” Kuroda added.

Clean Air Act

Meanwhile, environment groups on Tuesday urged Philippine authorities to duly enforce the ban on waste incineration as the nation marks the 12th anniversary of the Clean Air Act of 1999 or Republic Act (RA) 8749, a wide-ranging law on air-quality management.

In a joint statement, EcoWaste Coalition, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, and Health Care Without Harm pressed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Health, the Department of Science and Technology, as well as local government units, to remain faithful to the law.

“For the nth time, we urge those accountable for bringing into fruition the promise of safe and healthy environment under RA 8749 not to be remiss in their duty of enforcing the incineration ban,” said EcoWaste Coalition president Roy Alvarez.

The groups also asserted that the waste-incineration ban “is a valuable environmental policy that has, among others, prevented valuable materials from being turned into toxic ash, reduced the discharge of harmful by-products from combustion processes, and averted the squander of public money for costly, imported and superfluous materials destruction technology.” — Paterno Esmaquel II/VS, GMA News