*[Manila Times articles by Ambassador Amado s. Tolentino, Jr.
]* Philippine RE projects
New energy in Asean (Nov. 25, 2017)
LIKE many countries around the world, the members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have realized that fossil fuels are outdated. They
cause many problems, with serious impacts on economics, global politics and the
environment. Indeed, new approaches need to be taken and the technologies for
doing so are well understood and available.
Asean energy business forum
Asean is on the right track judging from the recent 2017 Asean Energy Business
Forum and the Powertrends international exhibition on directions for energy,
power and electricity annually hosted by our energy department. Both activities
were held in conjunction with Asean@50 with the objective of strengthening
public-private partnership that could enhance the region’s energy sector towards
common target achievements.
Renewable energy (RE) technologies were tackled by Asean experts with detailed
experiences and best practices to the extent of, among others, the development and
commercial maturity of battery storage systems as “coupling technology” to
variable renewable energy generations.
Surprising is the availability of Asean member state companies with flagship
projects on power generation, transmission and distribution. Services offered range
from solar streetlights to solar pumping installation for household water system
and irrigation system to off-grid PV solar systems for areas with no access to a
stable power source.
In short, from connection to grid areas, the lack of access to energy in off-grid
areas is now possible in the region. In the latter instance, offer is for both hybrid
and off-grid systems designed with battery inverters and an assortment of storage
types all designed to match the needs of the end user. Of all renewable sources
available, solar is the most attractive alternative due to the abundance of sunlight
in Southeast Asia.
In the Philippines alone, RE projects worth a total of P35.4 billion, expected to
help address the power demands of the government’s “Build Build Build”
program, have been approved by the Board of Investments (BOI). Some of the
projects are the Currimao-Talisay (Camarines Norte) project and the Talim
(Rizal)-Calatagan (Batangas) projects which involve wind power and the San Jose
City (Nueva Ecija) power plant that will use rice husk, a feedstock.
According to data from the BOI, renewable energy plants (geothermal, hydro,
wind, biomass and solar) accounted for 7038 MW of installed capacity in the
country as of June this year, about a third of the national capacity of 21,621 MW.
Since the ongoing infrastructure program involves construction and modernization
of airports, and the laying out of more roads, railroads and transport networks all
over the country, demand for power continues to go up.
The Philippine private sector is active too in renewable energy projects. A
progressive Filipino businessman is into an 800 MW hydropower plant project in
Pangil, Laguna. At one time, the solar farm built by Gregorio Araneta Inc. with
partner Soleq, one of Southeast Asia’s largest solar independent producers, was
No. 1 in the Asean region. SM Supermalls, on the other hand, will install electric
charging stations for electric vehicles with the first outlets in some malls to go
online by February 2018.
RE infrastructure vis-à-vis migratory species and their habitats
The race is on. Which Asean country could be the first to be completely powered
by renewable energy? In the past three years, the share of renewable energy in the
Asean power mix has already risen to an appreciable degree due mainly to the fast-
paced solar and wind power use. A target of 100 percent is ambitious but the
governments are determined to achieve at least 50 percent sometime after three
decades or so. In fact, the Asean landscape is ever changing with some inland
areas abloom with solar panels and wind turbines in strong windswept coastal
zones.
Be that as it may, the requirement of numerous pylons and cables to transmit
energy from renewable sources should be approached with caution because of
detrimental effects on wildlife habitats and migration routes of bird species. One
solution in use in Spain is the “shut-off on demand” technique requiring turbines to
be deactivated during the most sensitive time for wildlife, such as the migration
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season or during periods with low wind speeds. It was also revealed that as the
turbines are also at their least productive during such times, the amount of
electricity lost is insignificant.
Indeed, designing the location, route and direction of power lines based on
national zoning maps or land use codes avoiding, where possible, waterbird
habitats, protected areas (usually wetlands of importance to migratory birds, e.g.
tidal flats, marshes, etc.) and other critical areas is now a paramount concern in the
management of migratory species and their habitats.
And what is the significance of renewable energy infrastructure vis-à-vis
migratory species? Expanding infrastructure threatens birds and their habitats.
Migratory species play a major role in the conservation of resources. They act as
pollinators and seed dispensers, helping safeguard biodiversity which benefits food
security for people. They regulate the balance of ecosystems by hunting their prey
along their migration routes. They are also a source of revenue for many
communities. Yet, fatal collision of birds with electricity power lines is most
common. The magnitude of bird-power grid conflict is still poorly understood in
many countries, including those in the East Asia-Australasia Flyway.
Due to its location in the Pacific and by the South China Sea, Asean countries,
except for landlocked Laos, have excellent conditions for solar and wind power
generation. With an estimated 350 days of sunshine and varying year-round wind
speeds which, if effectively harnessed, could very well provide the needed energy,
it is safe to conclude that the target could be reached, taking into account
environmental considerations.
Global alliance to phase out coal
It should also be mentioned that at the UN climate change conference 2017 in
Bonn (Germany), an alliance of 27 countries and states pledged to phase out coal-
fired electricity by 2030 and end all domestic and international investment in coal
in favor of renewable energy use. Called “Powering Past Coal Alliance,” it aims at
accelerating clean growth and achieving rapid phase-out of traditional coal power.
Among the initial members are Austria, Costa Rica, France, New Zealand, United
Kingdom, Finland, Mexico, El Salvador as well as five Canadian provinces and
the US states of Washington and Oregon. The alliance also brings together a wide
range of businesses and civil society organizations that have united for climate
protection. It intends to expand to more than 50 members by the next UN climate
conference in Poland in 2018.
According to the International Energy Agency, coal-fired power plants produce
almost 40 percent of global electricity, making carbon pollution from coal a
leading contributor to climate change. All burning of coal causes severe
respiratory disease and has many other damaging health effects, in addition to
being a driver of climate change.
With all renewable plants—hydro, geothermal, biomass, solar and wind around—
would wave power or underwater current energy not be far behind in the Asean?
Seeking fresh water in times of climate change crisis (Apr. 29, 2016)
“Water is a far more pressing problem than climate
change. Even if climate wouldn’t change, we have
a water problem and this water problem is much
more urgent…..”
Peter Brabeck
AT the dawn of the 21st century, it was touted that 2001 marks the first year of the
century of water. The idea, however, was overtaken by dramatic changes in
climate throughout the world that many thought climate is the biggest problem and
nothing else matters. Thus, in the meantime, the looming global water shortage got
far less attention than global warming.
According to the United Nations, one reason water receives less attention is that
unlike global warming, there is no such thing as a global water crisis. Instead,
there are a series of regional predicaments in a world where the distribution of
water is so lopsided that 60 percent of it is found in just nine countries including
Brazil, the US and Canada.
As a chemical compound, nothing could be simpler than water. Two atoms of
hydrogen joined to one of oxygen equals water. And, there is no shortage of water
on planet Earth, which is covered by water but more than 97 percent is salty. The
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shortage is of fresh water to grow crops, drinking and sanitation water for
households and to cool power plants.
In the past, military conflict over water rights was a grave national security issue
between some countries: Ethiopia and Egypt over the Nile; Botswana and Namibia
over the Okavango; Israel, Palestine and Jordan over the Jordan River, to mention
a few.
Water from rivers in those countries cross political boundaries with the
concomitant boundary issue. Be that as it may, the situation created a natural
interdependence between countries in sharing the water resource, drawing people
to work together on the water availability aspect even when countries were
officially at war.
Perhaps, “water wars” were averted at that time due to the changing perception of
the concept of permanent sovereignty over natural resources in favor of functional
sovereignty or equitable utilization of transboundary shared resources. But in the
light of the recent changed political and security environment, could peaceful
negotiation over water issues still hold on for a much longer time?
Figure out the following: (i) China’s damming the source of water of the Mekong
River has sparked serious concern among countries downstream namely Myanmar,
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam; (ii) India, China and Pakistan see rising
tensions over shared water resources to boost production to keep up with their
huge and expanding populations; (iii) A growing sense of alarm in Central Asia
over the prospect that poor but glacier-heavy nations (Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan) may
one day restrict the flow of water to their parched but oil-rich neighbors
(Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan); (iv) Ultimate peace between Pakistan
and India may hinge as much on water as on nuclear weapons for the two countries
must share the glacier-dependent Indus.
The limited supply of freshwater must meet the needs of a human population that
has tripled in the last century and continues to grow at almost 80 million every
year. Right now, there is a torrent of water-related news concerning the dry spell
brought about by the drought effect of El Niño, the declaration of state of calamity
in specified areas due to lack of adequate water supply and a decline in agricultural
production on account of scarcity of water for agriculture.
Based on numerous studies, including those done by the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) and confirmed by a UNICEF-WHO report, 8.4
million Filipinos have no access to clean drinking water. The major reason for
freshwater scarcity in the Philippines is pollution from industries, households,
tourism sites and agricultural areas. Industries use a wide range of chemicals,
many of which are highly toxic and find their way to natural water systems.
Wastewater from households follow the same route to natural water channels like
run-offs of agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides.
A UNDP report further mentioned that the Metro Manila main underground
aquifer is so over pumped that groundwater levels have considerably dropped to
critical levels. This has induced saline water to encroach into coastal zones and
threaten Marikina Valley and places along the Laguna Lake region. Once again,
water rationing plans are on board in Metro manila.
Even the Rainwater Collection Facilities and Spring Water Protection Law (1989),
which mandates construction of water wells, rainwater collectors, development of
springs, rehabilitation of existing water wells in all barangays in the Philippines,
remains in the books, largely unimplemented.
The solution to water scarcity is largely in the hands of governments because it
requires policies such as better and effective regulation of groundwater, irrigation
and more intelligent use of wastewater. Among Asean countries, Thailand adopted
a policy to minimize use of water by not growing off-season rice as a response to
the gravity of the drought situation. Water has to be conserved for household
consumption. Farmers switched to drought-resistant crops such as beans or raising
livestock. Others resorted to raising poultry or farming shallow-water fish in
baskets. Many rice farmers have also joined government-sponsored employment
schemes such as working on irrigation canal dredging projects, which generate
more than 40,000 jobs nationwide.
With the recent formal signing at the UN Headquarters in New York by 171
countries of the Paris Agreement on reduction of greenhouse gas emission, water
scarcity has “come of age” as a forefront issue. As countries actively pursue major
actions like a shift to renewable energy sources (solar, wind, biomass, hydropower,
etc.) to stop the devastating impacts of climate change, it is now the time for action
to set the pathway that will lead to a far-reaching effort to meet the challenges
posed by the most precious but finite resource on Earth – fresh water.
Ambassador Amado Tolentino, Jr. continues with his engagement as a member of
the Asociacion Internacional de Derecho de Aguas (Rome).
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Pope Francis vis-à-vis earth stewards (Aug. 8, 2015)
“The earth does not belong to man. Man belongs to the earth …. This we know:
Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the
web of life: he is merely a strand in it …..”
Chief Seattle
AT long last, the Vatican released to the expectant world Pope Francis’
environment encyclical “Laudato Si.” Encyclicals are considered the most
authoritative document a Pope can issue. This one is about the dire effects of
environmental degradation especially on the poor and urges the world to take
action on moral grounds.
The encyclical could at best be described as the Pope’s lament and call to action
for the earth’s protection and sustainability. It links environmental degradation
with economic and social justice aiming to connect environment very tightly to the
Church’s social teaching to give preferential treatment to the poor.
No one has written an encyclical focused on the environment before. For analysts,
this could be traced to the Pope’s Jesuit formation which reinforces the idea “that
we are stewards of God’s creation and that God is somehow present in all of
creation.” Therefore, we have a duty to look after the earth responsibly. In that
regard, Pope Francis should be credited for having added the religious/moral
dimension to an otherwise purely scientific, political, and economic issue and
concern.
Before the launch of “Laudato Si,” the Pope addressed a local group of grassroots
organizers in Rome saying that an economic system centered only on money
would “….plunder nature to sustain frenetic levels of consumption. Climate
change, the loss of biodiversity, deforestation are already showing their
devastating effects…from which you, the humble, suffer the most.”
Critics of the Pope’s message against the unbridled pursuit of profits by
businessmen, however, say that the free market, far from being the source of
inequality is the great engine that will pull the world’s poor out of misery.
While the Pope’s devotion to nature has a theological basis it also has an ethical
component based on who, in particular, is responsible for environmental problems.
But more than the issue of who is responsible is the dispute over the idea that
population control and contraception are the solutions to the planet’s limited
resources rather than curve the consumerist, wasteful behavior of the rich and the
privileged.
Be that as it may, the encyclical emphasizes that man is part of God’s creation and
therefore entitled to protection.
Pope Francis has won much admiration for his humility and reputation as a truth-
teller who speaks simply and plainly. He is the leader of a world-wide institution
with 1.2 billion members with no political interests to protect and no reelection
campaign to wage. Indeed, he is well positioned to win a debate on the issue of
how to steward the Earth.
But will the encyclical make an impact on Catholics worldwide who did not pay
attention to the environmental issues before?
No religion in the world could be identified as against protection of the
environment from the effects of climate change. Buddhism is known to respect and
hold sacred anything that has life – trees, species of fauna, etc. “In Islam, man is
Al Khalifa (The Steward). His role on earth is to act as God’s steward, and trustee
of the bounties of the earth.” Even faith-based organizations like the Evangelicals
and Baptist faiths have been exceptional leaders working on climate change.
Hopefully, Pope Francis’ “Laudato Si” would lead to a united inter-faith response
to make a case for climate change and urge everyone to take action on moral
grounds. After all, we are the Earth’s Stewards.
*Ambassador Amado Tolentino lectures at San Beda Alabang School of Law and
continues to write about environmental issues.
Strategy for disaster risk reduction (Nov. 18, 2013)
Climate change –induced weather disasters have quadrupled during the last few
years. The 2011 horrifying earthquake and tsunami in Japan is one such weather
disaster. The 2013 typhoon Yolanda accompanied by the terrifying storm surge in
the Philippines is another.
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Tropical storms, extended drought, harder monsoon rains, devastating floods,
unexpected landslides and earthquakes are more common now in densely
populated Asia where people are the most endangered when natural calamities
strike. The annual cyclones in Bangladesh, the uncommon cyclone occurrence in
Myanmar in 2008 as well as the destruction brought by typhoons Ondoy, Sendong,
and Pablo in the Philippines drew attention to these countries’ efforts at reducing
disaster risks in managed ways.
Disaster risk reduction (DRR) systems are now in place in Bangladesh, Myanmar
and the Philippines with the support of international organizations like the Red
Cross and the Save the Children and their respective governments. DRR refers to
all activities by local communities, families, governments and NGOs that help
reduce in advance the effects of natural disasters. The objective is to cover all risks
including the effects of climate change.
Disaster risk reduction system
The main feature of a disaster risk reduction system is a disaster plan and
prevention program in endangered towns and villages. It incorporates standardized
warning signals, different flags for use before and during disasters, identification
of emergency shelters, evacuation procedures, emergency food stocks (and
replenishment), utensils for immediate use like cooking stoves, water supply,
provision of sanitary facilities and others.
Experience with disaster emergency management gave way to the principle of
“build back better” which means that damaged structures are not simply replaced
but improved to make them more resilient and intact for the onslaught of another
natural calamity.
Like in other areas of environmental management, the institutional arrangement to
cope with natural disasters involve not just one government agency like the
Department of Social Welfare and Development but many other environment-
related agencies such as those on local governments, health, education, agriculture,
police, public works, etc. The Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council (NDRRMC) follows that direction through effective inter-
agency linkages and coordination with regional and local governments for disaster
remediation operations.
Global level
At the international level, the UN has an International Strategy for Disaster
Reduction which aims to guide and coordinate the efforts of a wide range of
partners to achieve substantive reduction in disaster losses and build resilient
nations and communities as an essential condition for sustainable development.
The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) is the
secretariat of the ISDR system and comprises numerous organizations, states,
NGOs, financial institutions, technical bodies and civil society which work
together and share information to reduce disaster risks.
It also serves as the focal point for the implementation of the Hyogo Framework
for Action, a ten-year plan of action adopted in 2005 by 168 governments to
protect lives and livelihoods against disasters.
With the prominence of the field of environmental law during the last four
decades, the enactment of a legislation on disaster risk reduction and management
is encouraged. One such is the 2010 Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Act (R.A. 10121). An action plan and guidelines to define the
respective roles and responsibilities of government agencies, schools, NGOs and
other groups is in place. The challenge is to translate into effective local
community action to save lives and reduce disaster risks and economic losses.
Above all, a safety culture in times of disasters and emergencies should be
established so that people in danger areas will be well informed and motivated to
consciously integrate the risks in their day-to-day living.
Indeed, the success of any disaster plan and prevention program depends on the
cooperation of the local people exposed to danger. Nobody is more familiar with
the immediate environment than the local inhabitants themselves who are also best
situated to overcome the risks that accompany weather disasters aided by disaster
emergency awareness and preparedness strategies and techniques.
(Mr. Tolentino is a Filipino pioneer in the field of environmental law and served
as environmental law consultant to UNEP. He was Philippine Ambassador to
Papua New Guinea and Qatar).
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Building resilience: adaptation to climate change (Nov. 29, 2013)
Adaptation is the adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or
expected climatic conditions or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits
beneficial opportunities. It is a necessary strategy to complement any climate
change mitigation legislation in place.
Best practices abound on adaptation activities to cope with climate change risks.
In Bangladesh, floating vegetable gardens allow for seedlings to be grown when
land is flooded so that they are ready to plant out when the floodwater recedes.
Fish are reared in cages anchored in ponds created by monsoon rains when the
river is too fast flowing for fishing boats to go out. A variety of rice has been
planted that matures before the monsoon rains, and ponds are used for raising
ducks and fish. Ducks provide eggs for the market and are more resilient to floods
than chickens.
In Thailand, bamboo poles are used in beating back waves that slowly engulf
seaside communities. Properly spaced bamboo poles dampen the force of waves
and allow for a more natural exchange between the marine and freshwater
environments. Erecting bamboo screens made of thousands of poles driven into the
seabed has helped restore several hundred meters of land now planted with
mangrove saplings along the Gulf of Thailand coast as well as on the island of
Phuket.
Community resilience in Nepal through local knowledge, practices and
innovations to adapt to climate variability is worth notice too. To cope with water
scarcity, water conservation ponds are built during the monsoon and farmers use
water harvesting tanks to trap rainwater for use in the dry season.
Interesting are the Nepali improved crop storage systems. Farmers have been
making pits to store potatoes because pits help maintain cooler temperature
allowing the potatoes to last longer. Others protect their seeds from frost and cold
temperature by covering them with cloth and hanging them in safe places. Rice
and other cereals are stored in earthen vessels and kept on raised beds to protect
them from flooding. They are also raising the level of their houses and cattle sheds
to keep them safe during the monsoon floods.
In the Solomon Islands in the Pacific, there has been a transition in the types of
root crops people are planting. While in the past, they mainly planted yam and taro
which are harvested at different times of the year and can be stored for the rainy
season, people now are more focused on introduced root crops like sweet potato
and cassava which requires less labor as they grow in secondary forests and can be
harvested after only three months. It led to current interest at producing banana
chips as banana trees fare well under heavy rainfall and processing is cheap and
simple. There are now processing groups consisting of women in banana chips
production.
Against the backdrop of horrifying earthquakes, tsunamis, super typhoons and
storm surge consequences and amidst unprecedented global attention and intense
media coverage on climate change (as in the recently concluded UN Climate
Change Conference in Warsaw (Poland), the 2009 Philippine Climate Change Law
(RA 9729) (An Act mainstreaming climate change into government policy
formulations, establishing the framework strategy and program on climate change,
creating for the purpose the Climate Change Commission, and for other purposes)
is a most significant piece of climate change mitigation legislation that needs
public information and awareness as well as effective people’s participation in its
implementation and enforcement. In the meantime, the man on the streets wants to
know about adaptation to climate change.
The climate change adaptation practices mentioned above respond to urgent and
immediate adaptation needs, prioritizing the most vulnerable communities and
seek to build capacities on adaptation.
He authored numerous publications, contributed to many international
environmental law meetings and spearheaded the formulation of the first
environmental laws of the Philippines.