DENR okays more Kyoto protocol projects

http://www.malaya.com.ph/jul27/envi2.html
Malaya July 27, 2006
BY REINIR PADUA

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has conferred host country approval to seven proposed clean development mechanism (CDM) projects. Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes said these projects will reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in the country in compliance with the Kyoto Protocol. Reyes said the newly approved CDM projects will reduce around 183,587 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.

These projects are: Five methane recovery and electricity generation projects from hog farms developed by the Philippine Bio-sciences Company, Inc. owned by Gaya Li Farm, Inc; Gold Farm Livestock Corp.; Joliza Farms, Inc.; and Paramount Integrated Corp., and Uni-rich Agro-Industrial Corp.

The sixth project is a waste water treatment at the ethanol plant of the Absolut Chemical Inc. being developed in cooperation with Mitsubishi Corp. which will improve waste management by reducing chemical oxygen demand, destroying biochemical oxygen demand and improving color quality of waste water.

The seventh is the 20-megawatt geothermal power plant and switching station of the Philippine National Oil Company which is expected to contribute to emission reduction through the use of clean energy source.

The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), of which the Philippines is a signatory, to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of their greenhouse gases.

The approval brings to a total of eight all the approved CDM projects in the country since the first batch was approved in December last year.
The UNFCC aims to stabilize the greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a safe level to prevent human interference with the climate system.

The DENR said the approved projects can increase the Philippines’ status as having 3.49 percent share of the total number of registered CDM projects with a total of 229 projects worldwide.

The country ranks 4th with 22 projects being validated by accredited third-party quality assurance companies.