Clean technology needed to save earth – ESP

A breakthrough on clean energy technology without sacrificing economic growth is a must for the planet to preserve itself, according  to the Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP), the country’s leading environmental non-government organization.

There is a need for substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions based on the predicted growth in energy demand, and to do that business will have to play its role, "ESP president, Antonio M. Claparols stressed as he predicted that if governments stick with current policies, global energy needs and carbon emissions will be more than 50 percent higher in 2030 compared to 2005 levels.

According to figures released by international agencies, the six advanced countries account for 45 percent of the world’s population, 48 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and 48 percent of the world’s energy consumption.

Claparols asked for concrete plans to create a fund to help develop cleaner energy technologies, which Australia would kickstart with about A$100 million.

The Asia Pacific Partnership would run parallel to Kyoto, which requires about 40 developed countries to cut their emissions by 5.2 percent below 1990 levels during 2008-2012.

Claparols said it is imperative to get breakthroughs in technologies that are absolutely a matter of life and death for the planet.

"You can’t have a good environment with a damaged economy," Claparols said, as he noted that in trying to destroy people’s living standards is that ultimately what happens is you destroy the environment.