Tantoco echoes call to reduce GHG emissions

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Richard Tantoco, president and Chief Operating Officer of the First-Gen owned Energy Development Corporation (EDC) said that immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is needed to limiting global warm.

During the Zoominar organized by the Ecumenical Initiative Forum, Tantoco presented the  findings of the latest assessment report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which underscores the irreversible consequences of climate change if no drastic action is taken to decarbonize the atmosphere.

Richard Tantoco, president and Chief Operating Officer of the Energy Development Corporation

The digital meet brought together stakeholders from the business sector, civil society, academe, and the Catholic Church led by the Focolare Movement Philippines, Season of Creation Pilipinas, and the National Laudato Si Program organized by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines).

Based on the IPCC report, Tantoco said it has been established that human activities have unequivocally warmed the oceans, land and atmosphere, when it was merely deemed a possibility eight years ago.

“Global surface temperatures will continue to increase at least until 2050,” Tantoco said.

 He also outlined practical steps that nations and enterprises can take such as accelerating the pursuit of renewable energy in powering not just homes and industries but transportation as well.

He said this should be coupled with “green” investing and an unequivocal rejection of fossil-based fuels such as coal. Forest cover rehabilitation and regeneration is also critical, Tantoco said.

“While we can no longer undo the environmental mistakes that humanity has made in the past, it is up to all of us to do something to prevent them from happening again—to be a part of the solution to the greatest crisis of our time,” Tantoco said. -NND