Climate advocates protest across Asia to call government and banks to "Don't Gas Asia"

Nadia Cruz

On May 4, 2023, 350 Pilipinas joined climate advocates in launching the Don’t Gas Asia campaign. The protest was held in front of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Mandaluyong and coincided with ADB Board of Governors’ 56th annual meeting in South Korea.

350 Pilipinas joined climate activists from Asian Peoples Movement for Debt and Development, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, Oriang, Sanlakas, Kongreso ng Pagkakaisang mga Maralita ng Lungsod, Asian Energy Network, Zone One Tondo Organization, and Aniban ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura. Photo: Kathleen Lei Limayo

Mobilizations were conducted in 13 cities across Asia to protest against the growing gas industry in the region and to urge governments to switch to renewable energy.

The protests campaigns to call out the bank for funding gas projects despite its sustainability commitments to support low-carbon transition in Asia-Pacific. Meanwhile, Japan and Korea have been major investors in gas and LNG.

Gas and LNG expansion projects are opposed by groups. Photo: Kathleen Lei Limayo

We call against ADB’s classification of fossil gas as a transition fuel towards meeting the decarbonization targets laid out in the Paris agreement. In addition to the increased carbon emissions posed by the gas and LNG project expansions, the projects would put adverse effects on the health, environment and the communities

A woman holds a sign that emphasizes how gas can cause health impacts to the people and the planet. Photo: Kathleen Lei Limayo

Chuck Baclagon, 350 Asia’s Regional Finance Coordinator emphasized the necessity to solve energy poverty in ensuring addressing poverty in Asia:

“While we laud the Asian Development Bank’s end for direct financing of fossil-fuels in their new energy investment policy, we call out ADB for their classification of fossil gas as a transition fuel towards meeting the decarbonization targets. ADB prides itself as a key player in ending poverty in Asia, being true to this means addressing energy poverty”

Activist calls to Make Asia Fossil Fuel Free Photo: Kathleen Lei Limayo

“Moving away from fossil-fuels goes beyond reducing emissions, it also goes hand-in-hand with ensuring greater energy access for everyone. We urge ADB to completely drop gas out of its investment portfolio as it is not only a cause of carbon emissions but rather another form of mega infrastructure that cannot provide power to communities because of its incompatibility with the archipelagic geography of most of Asia which and therefore more suited to decentralized renewables that harnesses the indigenous available power sources like wind and solar. Removing fossil fuels from the equation not only reduces emissions but also allows for greater energy access through decentralized renewables that harness local power sources like wind and solar. We urge the bank to completely divest from gas and redirect investments towards building clean, reliable, and affordable energy systems”

Chuck Baclagon shared a solidarity message on the Don’t Gas Asia campaign and called out the bank to completely drop gas out of its investment portfolio. Photo: Kathleen Lei Limayo

Changing the trajectory of finance to build energy systems that are clean, reliable and affordable is the goal of going fossil-free

The Asia Energy Network’s Don’t Gas Asia campaign aims to emphasize that gas is not a solution or transitional fuel for decarbonizing energy systems in response to the climate crisis. Instead, the solution is a quick, fair, and equal shift to 100% renewable energy.

The mobilization is led by Asian Peoples Movement for Debt and Development, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, 350 Pilipinas, 350.org Asia, Oriang, Sanlakas, Kongreso ng Pagkakaisang mga Maralita ng Lungsod, Asian Energy Network, Zone One Tondo Organization, and Aniban ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura