TheJakartaPost
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Tackling climate change and shaping a new energy future
For Asia’s population, renewable energy will be essential to meeting growing demand while tackling climate change and air pollution.
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A hazy view of Jakarta. For Asia’s population, renewable energy will be essential to meeting growing demand while tackling climate change and air pollution. (Shutterstock/File)
P
resident Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the landmark Paris climate accord must not become a distraction from urgent global efforts to combat climate change.
Countries in Asia were among the most committed supporters of the Paris goals. Indonesia has committed to a 29 percent reduction in emissions by 2030.
Now is not the time to break stride, but to reinforce the resolve. Energy demand is set to double this century, with the world’s population reaching 11 billion, up from 7.5 billion today.
As the world changes, so will the energy system that powers it, driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions and — crucially for Asia — tackle air pollution that blights so many lives.
Coal is a big contributor to that air pollution. This can, and must, change.
Put simply: we will need more and cleaner energy if Asian countries are to continue to thrive in the coming decades.
Today, coal is still the biggest source of power in the region, at 47 percent of the power mix, compared to natural gas at 10 percent.
