ADB urged to amend policy on clean coal

MANILA, Philippines - Environmental non-government organizations (NGOs) are urging the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to amend its policy on its clean coal technology platform.

On Tuesday, the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development, along with the Philippine Working Group on ADB, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, and the Freedom from Debt Coalition held a protest in front of the ADB headquarters in Ortigas City, to ask the multilateral agency to reject its myth of clean coal.

The protest coincided with this year’s Asia Clean Energy Forum, an annual meeting organized by the ADB, which pushes for cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels.

APMDD regional coordinator Lidy Nacpil called out the development bank for its energy policy which allows member-countries to develop a low-carbon economy.

“However the policy did not declare that ADB will stop financing coal, the dirtiest among all dirty energy,” Nacpil said.

She emphasized that the policy allows ADB to selectively support coal-based power projects if cleaner technologies are adopted and adequate mitigation equipment and measures are incorporated into the project design.

“This is unacceptable. Even with the latest clean coal technologies, burning coal emits toxic chemicals that poison communities and greenhouse gases (GHGs) that speed up the warming of the planet,”” Nacpil said.

The ADB has invested over $3 billion in coal projects from 2007 to 2014, according to the NGO Forum on ADB.

“We further call on the ADB to provide a clear plan of action on the transitioning from fossil Fuel energy to fully renewable energy investments,” the group said.