Topic: Promoting Sustainable Industry in the Developing World
Country: Philippines
Delegate Name: Sarah Legault
School: Forest Hills Northern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Philippines position papers GLIMUN 2008 committees
As sustaining the environment moves steadily to the forefront of international dialogue, we realize the impact of our physical surroundings on our individual nations’ success. The increase in dangerous emissions, the proliferation of water pollution, and the decrease in natural resources and energy forms all provide reason to worry. For these reasons, the Philippines believes that the increase of environmentally sustainable industry in all nations is of the utmost importance.
As part of the environmental effort, the Philippines adopted the Green Philippines Agenda. This focuses on four areas throughout the nation: reforestation, cleaning the land and air for our citizens, energy independence, and preservation of reefs, wildlife, and waterways.
In our efforts for industrial sustainability, the Philippines also expanded our energy sources to include a range of biofuels and geothermal energy. Last year, the Ormat Leyte Co. Ltd. built four optimization plants, with a capacity to produce 51 megawatts. We plan to use our resources, the largest steam fields in Asia, to benefit our nation, to produce power for our citizens.
Too many nations believe that they must sacrifice the environment for economic growth. We believe that we, and others, can grow economically while still protecting the natural environment. The Philippines and other developing nations possess the opportunity to build an environmentally sound economy from the start.
Sustainable industries such as eco-tourism, biofuels and geothermal industry help economically: cleaning the land, while providing jobs. The Philippines believes that a nation needs a power source beneficial to its long-term health before it takes the next step to a developed economy. In order to achieve this, developing nations require assistance from other nations and environmental organizations. To promote sustainable change, the Philippines believes that we must expand the international and financial support for environmental goals, such the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol, which allows nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emission through private sector initiatives.
The Philippines also supports the Yangon Resolution on Sustainable Development, agreed on by the ASEAN, which reiterates a commitment throughout Asia to the obligations of the WSSD.
The Philippines believes that the plan presented under the Yangon Resolution proposes important considerations for developing and developed nations worldwide in their pursuit of environmentally sustainable industry. Developed nations must fulfill their commitments under the Johannesburg Plan, for only with financial and technological aid can developing nations become environmentally sustainable. The importance of NGOs and other organizations in this process cannot be underestimated. Developing nations have the opportunity to start with an environmentally sound economy from the beginning. This involves the promotion of biofuels and alternative energy policies, which offer jobs while offering sustainable energy. The sharing of environmentally sound technologies amongst nations also increases the chances for sustainability; nations should meet annually to discuss and study these innovations. As part of this process, we must provide incentives for entrepreneurs to develop new sustainable industries. For ourselves, we should develop a set of policies related to sustainable industry for all nations, including developing ones, to aim for, a set of harmonized rules that connect us in a common effort.
The process of introducing sustainable industry throughout the world requires the assistance of all nations. The Philippine looks forward to working with the various nations gathered to enhance and improve our implementation of environmentally sustainable industry.
