Rappler Talk: What PH can learn from Hawaii’s renewable energy bid

MANILA, Philippines – On Wednesday, May 18, Rappler CEO Maria Ressa sat down with Luis Salaveria, the director of the State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, to talk about Hawaii’s bid to phase out fossil fuels.

Last year, Hawaii passed a law, which requires the state to generate 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2045.

90% of Hawaii’s energy currently comes from imported oil. The government acknowledged that this has threatened the state’s natural resources and jacked up electricity prices, hurting both businesses and households.

Like Hawaii, the Philippines imports most of its oil requirements. The country has set its own goals to shore up renewable energy capacity and cut carbon emissions as part of the Paris Agreement on climate change. However, it has no plans of eliminating fossil fuel use as it approved 29 coal-fired power plants that will go online by 2020. (READ: #ClimateActionPH dilemma: Cutting carbon emissions from coal) 

What can the Philippines learn from Hawaii? Is it possible to follow Hawaii’s move? Watch Rappler’s interview with Salaveria on this page. – Rappler.com