Climate goals at risk without policy fixes

The Philippine government must address barriers to scaling up variable renewable energy (VRE), particularly in areas such as grid infrastructure, permitting, auction design, and market competition, according to the World Bank (WB).

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In a report titled "Decarbonizing the Power Sector in East Asia: Unlocking Investment to Empower Low-Carbon Growth and Competitiveness," the WB recommended accelerating the deployment of VRE in the country, referring to power from intermittent sources like solar and wind, whose output depends on environmental conditions.

The WB highlighted that energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are rising in the Philippines and other East Asia and Pacific (EAP) countries, including China, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

"This rise in energy-related emissions is mainly due to the power and industrial sectors," the WB noted in the report published on Oct. 22.

The WB stressed the importance of adopting an integrated energy-planning framework that aligns national renewable energy (RE) targets with overall system development.

It emphasized that power sector plans should correspond with the country's nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and broader climate goals to clearly define the sector's role in reducing emissions.