Asean urged to ‘climate-proof’ energy sector

MANILA, Philippines—With the world experiencing the ill effects of climate change, the Philippines urged its co-members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to “climate-proof” the region’s energy sector.

Speaking at the Asean Energy Business Forum Ministers-CEO Dialogue in Vietnam last Friday, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said the need to “climate-proof” the region’s energy sector was now more pressing, given the visible impact of climate change on various aspects of energy production.

Some ways to “climate-proof” the sector, he said, included conducting vulnerability assessments of energy systems—from power generation, transmission and distribution to fuel production and transport— as well as identifying risks in relation to climate extremes and variability.

Asean member-states should also assess current technology needs and options, with emphasis on energy efficiency and conservation, renewable energy, nuclear energy, traditional coal and clean coal technology, and carbon capture and storage, he added.

There was also a need to develop and adopt sustainable financing mechanisms for the Asean energy sector, he said.

He explained that the energy sector was very vulnerable to the effects of climate change, using as an example the Philippines’ experience during the extended El Niño weather phenomenon.

Mindanao experienced daily rotating power interruptions, sometimes lasting 10-12 straight hours, due to severe lack of water to power the main grid’s hydropower facilities, from which the bulk of the region’s power supply came.

Apart from hydropower generation, Almendras related that wind power generation was also highly affected by climate change.

“Wind power generation is susceptible to variations in ambient temperatures, humidity, and precipitation. The primary determinants of wind power availability are wind speed statistics, consisting of mean wind speeds and gustiness. Wind speeds are subject to natural variability on a wide range of time scales, and they may be affected by climate change,” he explained.

To help respond to the effects of climate change, he said the country had adopted a holistic approach of combining mitigation with adaptation. –Abigail L. Ho, Philippine Daily Inquirer