[Press Release] PMCJ inks partnership with ICLEI-SEAS to draw up Albay’s 100% RE Roadmap
Quezon City, Philippines–The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) formalized its partnership with the ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability Southeast Asia Inc. (ICLEI-SEAS) for the Albay Province Renewable Energy Roadmap Project. The contract was signed earlier today at the Manila Observatory.
The partnership will produce a renewable energy roadmap that is investment-ready. This will be presented at the upcoming RE Investments Summit to be held in Albay on August 27-28, 2024, which will be attended by foreign and local investors and developers in the energy industry.
The project is guided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) recommendation to peak fossil fuels by 2025, and the COP28 agreement to triple renewables by 2030, which the Philippine government signed onto. This echoes efforts to enact a just transition to renewables, paired with the swift and definitive phaseout of fossil fuels.
Dean Rene Ofreneo, National Convenor of PMCJ, shared plans with ICLEI-SEAS and Albay. “This roadmap is our action plan to implement a just transition to 100% renewable energy in Albay. We will work with all LGUs in the province to engage their constituents and enable their participation in this development. The goal is a democratized energy governance system.”
The partnership will also create a team of consultants composed of stakeholders from communities, the energy industry, local businesses, and more. The consultants will be involved in the decision-making for local development plans, staying true to the just transition framework.
“We know a just transition is possible because we’ve put in the work,” said Pamela Cabacungan of ICLEI-SEAS. Jumping off their work in Eastern Samar, Cabacungan shared, “Collaboration with the provincial units of Albay ensures that the benefits of renewable energy are enjoyed by every citizen down to the barangays.”
She added: “We can meet every province’s demands using only renewable energy, but we need to study each area’s geography, resources, and its community’s needs to make the most effective plan.”
Coordination with the Albay RE technical working group has begun. The roadmap is expected to be finalized in early August 2024.
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