Obviously some are more responsible than others throughout history in diminishing our environment. There is a need for greater cooperation and financial support to promote not only mitigation but also adaptation strategies, and technology transfer; we must do it, but put the interest of the poor and dispossessed ahead of the rich and the powerful.

ADB in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), organized the high level dialogue to catalyze national and regional actions and contribute to global response to climate change. (www.adb.org)

Said Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) during her speech at the recently concluded High Level Dialogue: Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific - A Development Challenge back-to-back with the 4th Clean Energy Forum. Speaking to 800 participants from across the globe, President Arroyo said that, “…every nation, developed or developing, must assume the mantle of leadership and address the climate change. Each and every person bears some responsibility throughout history to diminish our environment, although some are more responsible than others, and some are more responsible today than yesterday.”

The President, in her speech, said that the Philippines is gearing into a green nation and that the goal is to develop industries that use environment-friendly practices and materials. She also emphasized that Green Philippines will promote an ecotourism and an economy that will ensure less dependence on fossil fuel energy; to create jobs and keep our nation clean for future generation, but not at the expense of food security.

One specific action mentioned by President GMA is the Philippines-Asian Development Bank (ADB) program to replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent (CFLs) bulbs. Incandescent bulbs consume five times more energy than CFLs, but produce the same amount of illumination. Replacing one million incandescent bulbs with CFL will save the country some 50 M dollars worth of energy.

Likewise, ADB sets its eyes on being a committed partner in working out solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change. ADB President, Mr. Haruhiko Kuroda, mentioned that at the moment, there is “ intense negotiation on how the world will collectively meet the challenge of the time.” With a shared vision looking beyond 2012, many countries will have to seriously develop action plans on coping economy -- laying the groundwork for climate-friendly economies.

In December 2009, governments will meet in Copenhagen, Denmark for the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference. Kuroda says that “We are seeing the effects of climate change -- food security of hundreds and millions of cities, land degradation -- at Copenhagen, we must address those issues; we must also address the causes of climate issues, greenhouse gases must decline. We must find a way; I am calling this green year to spread green energy -- to reverse environmental degradation, to protect tropical forests because they can absorb carbon dioxide. You must be part of the long-term solution: adaptation, mitigation. I trust that this meeting will take us closer to Copenhagen.”

Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri warned that Asia would be facing severe water stress that would affect millions of people. Increased floods and droughts will have to be mitigated by providing infrastructure; climate change will negatively impact agriculture productivity. Thus, even if we do not bring emission to zero level, there is a need to incorporate adaptation measures.

Pachauri said that facing climate change as the greatest challenge of time “requires a new paradigm of development. We need new matrix which we can measure, new actions to redefine development as a whole.”

The five-day conference also tackled a major mitigation strategy in pursuing a carbon-less economy. This mitigation strategy focused on renovating Asia’s coal-fired power plants to improve efficiency. Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Philippines join the countries doing thermal power plant renovation. A regional effort spearheaded by USAID, this initiative aims at reducing primarily the greenhouse gases from coal-powered plants, coal being a provider of half the total energy requirement of Asia. China is set to rehabilitate its coal-powered plants and has ambitiously set the goal of reducing its carbon dioxide emissions to around 700 thousands. It was reported that many plants in Asia are in bad shape -- aging and operating for more than 15 to 25 years. Rehabilitation or retirement of these plants will reduce 10 to 20% CO2 per unit power generation.

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