“Energy sustainability forms part of ensuring a secure energy future for the coming generations. However, like I always say, we cannot sacrifice one in favor of the other. We have been making waves in enhancing the Philippine renewable energy landscape these past several years, and we are happy to report the country’s progress in the Council’s inaugural meeting,” DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.

DOE Senior Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas represented Secretary Cusi, where he updated the body on recent Philippine renewable energy policies, initiatives, and action programs relative to the global clean energy transition.

The Energy Transition Council was launched by the United Kingdom as part of its COP26 Presidency to accelerate the global transition to clean power. It is chaired by COP26 President Alok Sharma and the UN Secretary General’s Representative for Sustainable Energy, Damilola Ogunbiyi.

During the meeting, the Council agreed to explore specific opportunities for collaboration in areas including:

a) Making clean power technologies the preferred option for countries investing in new power generation, with the aim of doubling the rate of investment in clean power by 2030.

b) Developing policy and regulatory frameworks to attract the private sector to help deliver and finance these investment needs.

c) Supporting people and communities heavily reliant on the coal economy to make a secure and just transition to clean power and other economic opportunities, ensuring that no one is left behind.

d) Enabling the delivery of SDG7, harnessing centralised and decentralised clean energy solutions to achieve universal access to sustainable, affordable, modern energy by 2030, increase energy efficiency, and maximise the wider development benefits of the energy transition.

Ministers from 21 countries together with leaders of the world’s international organizations focused on the global power sector gathered for the meeting, which was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.