Group dares legislators to make coal plants obsolete

MANILA, Philippines - Hours after the Philippine Senate passed the country’s renewable energy bill, an environmental group with offices around the world challenged lawmakers “to phase out harmful coal-fired power plants." While Greenpeace Philippines welcomed the bill’s passage—a piece of legislation which it claimed had been pending in Congress for more than 18 years—it also dared lawmakers to “to implement strict energy efficiency policies." Among these initiatives include making coal plants obsolete. Although coal plants produce the cheapest electricity, its emissions are considered as among the most poisonous, compared to other facilities fueled by other commodities, such as bunker, diesel, and hydro. In a statement, Greenpeace Philippines said that both legislative chambers “must now come together to convene the Bicameral Committee and quickly flesh out the details that would ensure that strong policy mechanisms are in place so that this legislation makes a difference in genuinely promoting the massive utilization of renewable energy." Clean energy legislation, among other programs, will “herald the ‘Energy Revolution’ which Greenpeace is proposing to the Philippine government. The group said that the Energy Revolution is an “innovative change in the way people use, produce, and distribute energy." The ‘energy revolution’ will provide the Philippines with secure and affordable energy while maintaining the country’s economic development, the group said. “It will steer the country away from the use of harmful, climate change-causing fossil fuels such as coal, and toward harnessing the country's vast reserves of free, clean and safe renewable energy," Greenpeace said, quoting its climate and energy campaigner Jasper Inventor. - GMANews.TV