To grow or not to grow much
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2019 17:02:22 +0000
EDITORIAL
A jolting report released by The International Energy Agency (IEA) this week revealed that the Philippines is in at least one respect among the countries significantly contributing to the problem of rising harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
According to the IEA report, overall global energy demand grew 2.3 percent in 2018. About half of that increase was attributable to demand for electricity, which rose by 4.0 percent from the 2017 level. The report attributed the increase in energy demand to stronger economic growth.
Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power did meet some of the higher energy demand — solar power output alone increased by 31 percent in 2018 — but double-digit expansion was not enough to keep up with the world’s appetite.
Nearly half of the increase in electricity generation, the biggest contributor of CO2 emissions, was fueled by natural gas, with the use of much more polluting coal decreasing in most parts of the world. Despite this, harmful emissions from coal increased in 2018, accounting for 10 billion of the estimated 33 billion metric tons (MT) of annual CO2 emissions.
Last year was the first year coal emissions breached the 10-billion MT threshold, and that was entirely due to the increased use of coal in Asia, primarily in just six countries: China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.
To make matters even worse, improvements in energy efficiency have declined to an insignificant level last year. Meanwhile, for each percentage point growth in global economic output, there was a corresponding increase in CO2 emission of 0.5 percent. Compare that with year 2010, when the increase in emissions was just 0.3 percent per percentage point of economic growth.
The two key alarming takeaways from the IEA report are these:
First, if the world continues on its current path, the ambitious goal of the 2015 Paris Accord to limit global warming to 1.5-2.0 degrees celsius over pre-industrial levels is not only completely unobtainable, but man’s damaging impact on the climate is actually growing worse.
Second, for the first time ever, the Philippines has been identified as a clear contributor to the growing problem of harmful emissions. Until now, the common perception is that the Philippines is more of a climate victim than a source of harmful climate change, particularly when compared with more heavily industrialized countries, such as China. It is still true that our output pales in comparison, but no longer can we claim that we are not contributing to our own harm.
It would seem that we are facing an insoluble dilemma. In order to improve the lives of all Filipinos and support a growing population, we must maximize our economic potential. Doing so, however, risks increasing harm to lives, property and the environment, and potentially puts our very survival at stake.
The recent IEA report has shown us that we are not on the right path to safeguarding our future. It should be taken as a clear warning and challenge for us all, policymakers, businesses and private citizens alike, to take climate change seriously and change the way we live and work before it is too late.
The post To grow or not to grow much appeared first on The Manila Times Online.