MANILA, Philippines — Church leaders have called for an end to coal operations of businesses during the launching of the 3rd Philippine Environment Summit in Cagayan de Oro from Feb. 26 to 28.
The summit was part of the “withdrawal from coal” campaign launched in Manila by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines recently, according to Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of the Diocese of San Carlos, Negros Occidental.
The Catholic Church spearheaded the campaign together with civil society and non-government organizations in a bid to urge companies to divest from businesses involved in coal power generation and coal extraction.
“As part of its moral obligation, the government should phase out coal operations of businesses to avert climate crisis and support the development of renewable energy instead,” Alminaza, who has been at the forefront of the campaign to save the environment from pollution, said.
He said the Philippines is one of the most vulnerable nations to climate change.
Bishop Antonio Ledesma of Cagayan de Oro also attended the summit.