Drilling in nature reserves: tensions rise as Philippine clean energy projects encroach on protected areas | News | Eco-business

Earlier this year, in the mountainous province of Rizal on the island of Luzon and in a nature reserve that is home to more than 400 species of wildlife, Filipino conservationists were extremely concerned when drilling for 12 wind turbines – alongside road surfaces and other structures – were very concerned. The non-profit organization managing the facility opposed the investment, stating that renewable energy production should not be continued at the expense of the environment.

Three months later, the conflict is still not resolved. The Masungi Georeserve, recognized by global organizations as a model for environmental protection, is in a dispute with the Philippine government over recognition of a reforestation project and is fighting an uphill battle to relocate a planned wind farm project elsewhere.

The situation is emblematic of a disturbing trend in the Philippines: as the country aggressively expands its renewable energy capacity to address the growing climate crisis, community rights and rights to nature are being neglected. Tensions are particularly heightened when there is competition for limited land resources.

Establishing a wind farm project in the Masungi Georeserve could threaten up to a thousand hectares of natural karst landscape, says conservationist Billie Dumaliang.

Dumaliang, co-founder of the Masungi Georeserve Foundation, told Eco-Business that the drilling would cause irreversible damage to the delicate ecosystem of the area, already the last green corridor east of the Philippine capital, Manila.

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Why are these renewable energy projects being proposed in protected areas in the first place? There are certainly alternative locations in already developed areas where these facilities could be placed without threatening sensitive ecosystems and critical watershed resources.

Anna Reyes, acting secretariat of the Upper Marikina Watershed Coalition

“The Philippines can grow economically and expand its clean energy capabilities while preserving our rich natural heritage, but simply rolling over protected areas in the name of development is not the best way to do it,” said Anna Reyes, acting secretariat of the Upper Marikina Watershed Coalition.

The well-being of the Philippines’ natural resources and national parks is protected under the now expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act (E-NIPAS Act), first enacted in 1992.

However, a later amendment to the law added concessions allowing the exploration and implementation of renewable energy projects in natural parks if approved by both the Protected Area Authority and the Secretary of the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

‘Natural capital’

In early May this year, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr signed the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS) Act, which aims to survey the country’s national parks and other natural resources for their “natural capital.”

In a statement, DENR chief Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said the bill would prove “effective in managing natural resources to reduce biodiversity loss, increase private sector involvement and investment.” So far, it is unclear what this would mean for protected areas and nature parks, although conservationists and activists say it could mean the DENR mapping potential investment zones that include key biodiversity areas.

“Protected areas should be made no-go zones in the early planning stages of renewable energy development,” Dumaliang insisted.

The activist also called on the DENR to “be the first to advocate for the exclusion of protected areas” from development plans, as part of the agency’s mandate to protect the country’s environment and natural resources. The Masungi Karst Protected Area was first recognized by the DENR as a strict nature reserve and wildlife sanctuary in 1993 through an administrative order.

Renewable energy guidelines developed by global conservation organization the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Biodiversity Consultancy Lobby’s advisory panel for solar and wind energy projects to be built only in areas of lower conservation priority. to avoid serious negative impacts on biodiversity and simply ensure passage.

Dr Bruno Oberle, Director General of IUCN, explained that while the development of solar and wind energy is crucial for a sustainable, low-carbon future, “developers must ensure that these technologies do not pose an unwilling threat to nature and livelihoods. “

“To minimize risks to biodiversity, developers of solar and wind energy projects should avoid areas of high environmental importance, such as protected and protected areas, world cultural heritage sites and key biodiversity areas,” the guidance said.

Similarly, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) advocates locating renewable energy production outside ecologically valuable areas.

Under its national program, the Philippines plans to increase the share of renewable energy to 35% of its energy mix by 2030 and 50% by 2040. Currently, the mainly coal-based energy sector accounts for 54% of the country’s emissions.

In Southeast Asia, wind and solar power generation capacity in Southeast Asia has also seen significant growth, by around 20% in 2023 alone. The study estimated that approximately 3.1 million hectares of key biodiversity areas could be at risk due to renewable energy-related land use expansion.

Green belt of renewable energy sources?

Masungi Georeserve is not alone in this fight.

In the Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park in the Visayas region of the Philippines, a proposed expansion of a 14 megawatt (MW) wind farm project poses a threat to key water resources.

In its position statement, the coalition opposing the project maintains that the first phase of PetroWind Energy Incorporated’s Nabas wind farm project has had irreversible effects on the suitability of water for drinking and siltation of the river flowing near the wind farm site – the Napaan River.

The group says the second phase of the project would exacerbate the problem by encroaching on the Daeamuan and Imbaroto rivers – part of the larger Nabaoy River watershed, the main source of drinking water for mainland Malay communities, Aklan and Boracay Island.

“Protecting the last remaining continuous low-lying forest on Panay Island, a haven for endemic and sensitive species, must be an unwavering priority for all of us,” emphasized the lead organizers of the Protect Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park Coalition, Dr. Rebecca Barrios and Ritchel Cahilig, in a statement .

“We cannot be fooled by superficial solutions that are merely attempts at eco-shaming, promising benefits while hiding potentially much more costly consequences. (We should) recognize that there are much more sustainable practices for generating green energy that do not involve the devastation of our rivers, communities and mountains,” they added.

Eco-Business contacted PetroWind Energy Incorporated for comment but has not received a response.

“We see disturbing similarities between the development of the Upper Marikina watershed and the current Pantabangan-Carranglan Watershed Forest Reserve,” explained Reyes of the Upper Marikina Watershed Coalition, referring to two other protected areas in the Philippines. “In both cases, the outstanding ecological value and importance of these catchment areas appear to have taken a backseat to large-scale development projects.”

“The question arises: why are these renewable energy projects being proposed in protected areas at all? “There are certainly alternative locations in already developed areas where these facilities could be placed without threatening sensitive ecosystems and critical watershed resources,” she added.

According to reports, the operator of the wind farm in the Masungi Georeserve reserve is Rizal Wind Energy Corporation, and Singaporean energy company Vena Energy holds shares in the company.

In a statement sent to Eco-Business, Vena Energy said it complied with all government regulations in implementing the Rizal wind farm project, stressing that it was certified as environmentally compliant by the regional office under the DENR, following a comprehensive environmental assessment. effects (EIA).

The company did not respond to subsequent requests for a copy of the EIA analysis for the wind farm.

Just in January this year, the Philippine Board of Investments also awarded a “green path” grant to Fuego Renewable Energy Corp’s 464-MW Pantabangan floating solar power plant – which is expected to cover an area of ​​500 hectares on Lake Pantabangan located within the Pantabangan Forest Reserve- Carranglan Watershed in the inland Nueva Ecija Province, north of Metro Manila. Lake Pantabangan within the park is one of the largest bodies of water in Southeast Asia and one of the cleanest bodies of water in the Philippines

The Greenway grant expedites the processing of licenses, permits and other related documents for projects with enormous economic impact and consistent with the Marcos Administration’s strategic investments, such as renewable energy.

“Fast-track approval of these Green Track projects means less time for thorough environmental impact assessments and input from affected stakeholders. “We are concerned that the emphasis on economic growth and clean energy investments, while important, outweighs the critical need to protect and preserve our transformative resources,” Reyes warned.

“The degradation of these areas could have devastating long-term consequences for biodiversity, water security and community resilience,” she continued.

The water rights advocate added that sacrificing natural parks for short-term economic benefits and negligible energy production is a “poor trade-off” – highlighting the huge carbon sequestration potential of forested protected areas.

“The pursuit of a greener future must be accompanied by an unwavering commitment to protect and manage our environment responsibly, ensuring that progress is in harmony with nature,” urged the Protect Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park coalition.