Group: EO making Arroyo environment czar 'silly'

MANILA, Philippines - Environmental group Greenpeace branded as "ridiculous and confused" the executive order making President Arroyo head of a presidential task force on climate change. Greenpeace Southeast Asia Climate and Energy Campaigner Amalie Obusan said Arroyo could have implemented tangible climate-change solutions instead of having to create an entire task force. "The President is already head of the government. To appoint herself as chair of a body which mandates government agencies to fulfill what are already their responsibilities - and to put aside budget for that purpose -is absurd. If, in mandating this reorganization, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants to fashion herself as a 'climate change czar,' she could do a lot more by personally ensuring the effective implementation of the RE Law and guaranteeing that dirty coal and nuclear energy will not override the mainstreaming of clean, renewable energy sources in the country," Obusan said on Greenpeace's website. "Although the intent of the Executive Order 774 to step up environmental protection may seem sincere and creditable, the Executive Order is itself ridiculous and confused. Greenpeace believes that this casts serious doubt on the effectiveness of such a body and calls on the President to instead implement real and tangible climate change solutions," she added. She added the reorganized task force basically mandates all government agencies and local governments to comply with laws and responsibilities they should already be doing in the first place. Obusan said the EO puts to task all government agencies to follow the Solid Waste Act, which by law should actually be already be implemented." The EO orders the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to survey, map and protect watershed areas, but this is already a function of the DENR. Obusan also noted the EO mandates that waterways and riverbanks should be cleared of obstructions, but this is already directed under the Clean Water Act. "It (EO) orders a compliance audit of the Fisheries Code—a task that is already the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture," she added. Also, she said the EO directs a Task Group on Renewable Energy for the Energy Department to lead the swift implementation the Renewable Energy Law – "precisely already the duty of the DOE." Obusan also noted EO 774 attempts to make the PTFCC a body that comprehensively addresses as many climate mitigation and adaptation strategies as possible. "While commendable on its own, clauses such as this and the above in the EO betray the government's lack of seriousness on getting down to business on the real causes of climate change," she said. She said any climate change task force should focus on wide-reaching and lasting solutions, beginning with phasing out coal and nuclear plants, and initiating a massive shift to renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. - GMANews.TV