Greenpeace report shows how RE could lift ASEAN nations out of poverty and halt dangerous carbon emissions

By GREENPEACE
September 24, 2013

BALI, Indonesia – Greenpeace Southeast Asia today launched a comprehensive report that illustrates how renewable energy could benefit the economies and save the climate environments of the 10-member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Presented during the 31st ASEAN Ministers of Energy meeting, the Energy [R]evolution: A Sustainable ASEAN Energy Outlook highlights the socio-economic impacts of renewable energy and proposes the pathway to ensure ASEAN’s energy security and economic stability in the long run.

“The deteriorating climate should be ASEAN’s top concern, given that the region is experiencing frequent and more intense extreme weather events due to climate change caused by carbon emissions,” said Amalie H. Obusan, Regional Climate and Energy Campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia. "The ASEAN region, with its rapid pace of economic and population growth should play an important role in this global solution as the E[R] report clearly shows that a low carbon development path is possible.”

Jointly commissioned by Greenpeace and the Global Wind Energy Council from the German Space Agency (DLR) and regional scientists, the Energy [R]evolution outlines some of the key results on renewable electricity generation, where new renewables like wind, solar photo voltaic and geothermal energy could comprise 70% of the total electricity generation by 2050.

In fact, the report illustrates the democratization of energy production - previously power was only generated by a few big owners, but now hundreds of thousands, or even millions of people can become their own energy providers. With solar panels, poor Southeast Asian communities - which have had no access to electricity - can now generate power to light up their homes.

The Energy [R]evolution also gives projections on ASEAN’s future investment prospects (US$ 2,752 billion), fuel cost savings (US$ 2,698 billion), job generation potential (1.1 million in 2030) which could flow if green energy is adopted.

“There is already a strong global movement for reducing the dependency on fossil fuels by increasing the share of renewable energies,” said lead author Sven Teske, Renewable Energies Director at Greenpeace International. “The ASEAN countries have more than enough natural resources to become a leading player for clean, renewable energies. Renewable energies are more competitive than coal, utilize indigenous local resources and create more employment. Using more renewables is now an advantage for the economy, not a burden, and reduces their dependence on dirty, imported fossil fuels like oil and coal.

Greenpeace also said that the future of renewable energy development in the ASEAN region will depend strongly on the political will of its member governments. By choosing renewable energy, coupled with far-reaching energy efficiency measures, ASEAN will be able to contribute to stabilizing global carbon emissions while at the same time achieving the economic growth that it rightfully deserves.