FILE PHOTO: The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) is urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to take back its endorsement of a coal power plant expansion in Toledo, Cebu. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� An environmental group is urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to take back its endorsement of a coal power plant expansion in Toledo, Cebu.
The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) said DOE鈥檚 decision to exempt Therma Visayas, Inc. (TVI)鈥檚 169-megawatt power plant from its 2020 coal moratorium may have failed to consider the energy facility鈥檚 impacts on the health of residents, especially children.
鈥淲hile the environment may ostensibly recover through offsetting emissions aggressively, a child who grows up exposed to polluted air may carry it with them forever or worse. They say it鈥檚 clean coal, but its effects on air quality and health prove that it鈥檚 still dirty and deadly,鈥� PMCJ Visayas Public Policy Analyst Lito Vasquez said in a statement.
鈥淩eal economic growth doesn鈥檛 ignore people getting sick,鈥� he added.
The PMCJ also asserted that DOE鈥檚 endorsement of the facility expansion contradicts the worldwide call to phase out coal.
鈥淧hasing out all coal by 2030 is non-negotiable if we want to limit global warming to 1.5C. It is good that we are getting more renewable energy projects, but as long as these coal plants are operating, they will continue to worsen global warming,鈥� said PMJC National Coordinator Ian Rivera.
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On January 31, DOE announced its exclusion of the TVI power plant expansion from the coal moratorium. Business leaders have welcomed this move.
DOE鈥檚 coal moratorium calls for a halt in the processing of applications for coal-fired power generation projects.