Tokyo, Japan
December 18, 2023

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called for a swift and inclusive shift towards clean energyduring a discussion with the Member Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) aimed at promoting decarbonization in Asia at the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Leaders’ Meeting in Tokyo, Japan.

During the Summit, President Marcos Jr. seized the opportunity to invite AZEC partners to invest in the Philippines’ renewables and emerging technologies. He underscored the importance of collaboration in achieving AEZC and Paris Agreement goals.

Held in conjunction with the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit, the AZEC summit served as a framework for cooperation among various countries, working towards
achieving decarbonization and economic growth in Asia.

One of the Summit’s highlights was the presentation of a roadmap that aims to provide a diverse and realistic decarbonization efforts, taking into account the unique circumstances of each country.

According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian countries account for about 60% of the world’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and many, including Japan, utilize power generated by coal. The Japanese government aims to achieve both economic growth and
decarbonization in Asia concurrently, leveraging its knowledge of renewable energy and energy conservation. It also plans to utilize its technology for generating electricity by mixing hydrogen and ammonia, which do not emit CO2 when burned, with fuel.

The Summit concluded with a joint statement that emphasizes the need for bio-derived biomass power generation and the use of small modular reactors, which are considered safer than conventional nuclear power plants. This is an effort to increase sources of
energy, particularly in light of the tense situation in Ukraine and the Middle East.

*****