Today is September 21st, commemorating Zero Emissions Day, also known as "ZeDay." It began with a website created by Ken Wallace in Nova Scotia, Canada in 2008, and has since grown into a global movement to impose a 24-hour moratorium on the combustion of fossil fuels around the world. On this day, we are encouraged to refrain from using fossil fuels and to live by the event's message of "Giving our planet one day off a year."
Humans can take a month off, especially when they are tired and unmotivated, and humans have been at their lowest points in their lives, but they always return after giving themselves the rest they demand. So, why don't we demonstrate the Earth's actual need by returning the support and care it handed us, humans? Given that we are the ones who have made this once safe place chaotic and damaged? Global warming is a reality, and it is a human-caused problem. ZeDay exists to remind us of our responsibilities and to encourage us to take simple, small steps toward a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.
Let us take this opportunity to learn more about Zero Emissions Day and what our country, the Philippines, has been doing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, polluting substances, microparticles, and other environmental hazards. Also, what has been done to fully encourage Filipino citizens to support renewable energy resources rather than relying on fossil fuels to live.
According to Reuters, in April 2021, the Philippines revised its target to cut greenhouse gas emissions to a 75% reduction by 2030 under its commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate change, up from 70% set four years ago. The Paris Agreement, which went into effect in 2016, aims to transform the world's fossil-fuel-dependent economy within decades and keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius. Instead of what environmental advocates have called for the government to do more, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, who also chairs the country's Climate Change Commission, believes the new target is "ambitious."
Furthermore, the government assumes that Southeast Asian country's overall emissions during the 2020-2030 period will be 3,340.3 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e). As a result, Greenpeace Philippines, an independent organization dedicated to ensuring a peaceful and sustainable world for future generations, urges the government to do more and put pressure on the Department of Energy to accelerate the Philippines' energy transition and do much more to put their words into action.
Indeed, as we continue to use power-hungry devices in our daily lives, the amount brought by our modern society is distressing. The majority of electricity generated globally still comes from fossil fuel-based sources and causes a rise in power consumption. Consequently, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are left with a small portion of the energy supply. Our country, the Philippines, being one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, has endured climate-related disasters, such as typhoons, droughts, and floods. Despite this, we continue to rely on imported fossil fuels, which account for nearly half of the country's total primary energy supply. To achieve the new target we envision, the government will need to establish more straightforward policies and roadmaps.
While the Covid-19 Pandemic was a frightening and unexpected event from 2020 to now, it did result in temporary improvements in air quality and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. However, a pandemic by itself has not been enough to reverse the effects of climate change in the Philippines, which remains one of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries. Use this day, even if it's just at home, to raise awareness about the number of fossil fuels used every day around the world and share information about how each of us can reduce our carbon footprint today and in the long run. We can also begin to recognize that we are the only ones who can respond to our planet's call and start by making a change within ourselves.
Let us all play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and seek out more sustainable solutions in our daily lives. We can all start by reducing our use of fossil-fuel-generated electricity and incorporating the 5 R's (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Rot, Recycle) into our daily routines. Avoid single-use plastics and paper products, buy only what you need, repair or upcycle items to reuse them, set up a compost system for food scraps, and recycle all plastic, paper, glass, and metal properly.
May we be more aware of the negative effects of fossil fuels and our actions on our health, the environment, and the climate on this day. We should press the government and all sectors of our society to reduce emissions and not jeopardize future generations' access to clean energy and healthier environments. Let us all begin to make changes that will make the world a better place and to protect life on our planet.
21 September 2021
References:
Green Machines. (n.d.). The Importance of Zero Emissions Day. https://greenmachines.com/the-importance-of-zero-emissions-day/
Climate Change Commission. (2021). CCC on Zero Emissions Day: Accelerate RE Dev’t, Reduce Carbon Footprint. https://climate.gov.ph/news/323
Reuters. (2021). Philippines raises carbon emission reduction target to 75% by 2021. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/philippines-raises-carbon-emission-reduction-target-75-by-2030-2021-04-16/
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