---
title: 350.org on the Philippines’ moratorium on new coal-fired power plants
date: 2020-10-29T04:08:02Z
modified: 2023-07-26T16:54:06Z
permalink: "https://350.org/press-release/350-org-on-the-philippines-moratorium-on-new-coal-fired-power-plants/"
type: press-release
status: publish
excerpt: ""
wpid: 136472
categories:
  - KIITG
author: Jenny Tuazon
---

**_Manila, Philippines_** — The Philippines’ Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi announced that the country will declare a moratorium on building new coal-fired power plants in a speech during the Singapore International Energy Week.

The news comes amidst a recent wave of Asian leaders making ambitious announcements to align with the Paris Climate Agreement — from [China’s President Xi Jinping,](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/26/xis-carbon-neutrality-vow-to-reshape-chinas-five-year-plan) to [Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga](https://350.org/press-release/japan-prime-minister-suga-must-totally-abolish-coal-fired-power-generation-to-meet-their-carbon-neutral-goals-by-2050/) and [South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in.](https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/s-korea-pledges-carbon-neutrality-by-2050)

**Chuck Baclagon, 350.org Asia Finance Campaigner issued the following statement:**

> “The Philippine government is finally realizing that the future is fossil free. We welcome the Department of Energy’s recent announcement of a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants and urge a just transition that takes into account the people’s rights and health.
> 
> As with any declaration, this moratorium must comprise robust action, ambitious planning and concrete execution. We challenge other Asian leaders to follow suit in charting the path towards low-carbon development and concrete climate action in the region.
> 
> The announcement is also a clear indication that coal is no longer the lowest costing or more reliable option, even before factoring in the costs of public health impacts, environmental damage, and other climate risks.
> 
> As we begin to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, this is a time to be decisive and bold in saving lives and pursuing a genuinely healthier and sustainable future. To achieve this, Asian governments and financial institutions must fundamentally shift their economic stimulus and investments towards building a new, more equitable low-carbon economy in the region.”