Most of Southeast Asian countries rely on coal power to boost their economy. Unfortunately, they have no plan to stop in the future.
In response to this, groups of environmental activists really expressed their concerns on the matter. According to Asia Times, a meeting in Bangkok between environmental groups demanded China, Japan and South Korea to stop funding new coal power plants in Southeast Asia.
The coordinator of Climate Action Network (CAN) in Southeast Asia, Nithi Nesadurai, has shared her words on the concern. “Southeast Asia has relied on fossil fuels to support its economic growth. Unfortunately, some countries are planning to rely heavily on coal for the future,” she said.
Accordingly, the coordinator’s words were true as Southeast Asia countries rely heavily on coal power. Additionally, Indonesia, the biggest country in Southeast Asia, is the top five coal power user and producer in the world.
Also Read: Mitsubishi to Bring Solar to Asia
Combating Coal Power Industry
Regarding the issue, activists do not just sit idly and criticize the industry without doing anything. Their action speaks as loud as their words.
To name a few, groups made up of NGOs, the private sector, government, academia and other actors are forming to speed up the flow of finance into low-carbon developments. In addition, the fund-raising projects for low-carbon developments are called SHIFT.
To date, the movement has begun in three countries, which are Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Respectively, they are the Indonesia Low Emissions Network, the Philippines’ Climate Action Partnership, and the Vietnam Coalition for Climate Action in August.
Furthermore, their programs are diverse. In Indonesia, the mentioned network together with Green Partner Foundation have researched new financing mechanisms for the energy efficiency and other low carbon development strategies. Meanwhile, the Vietnam Coalition has invited various parties to promote a movement called “green growth.”
However, all these efforts mean nothing without strong regulations and awareness from governments and all parties. Although governments have realized that coal power excessively contributes to pollution and global warming, they will not stop its use without clear and strong regulations due to its inexpensive cost.
