Today marks the 56th annual celebration of Earth Day. With the theme “Our Power, Our Planet,” BAN Toxics calls on the Philippine government to take genuine steps to break free from fossil fuel dependence and commit to a just transition toward clean, safe, and truly renewable energy systems.

The recent energy crisis driven by the US-Israel led war on Iran highlights the pitfalls of the country’s dependence on imported oil, as well as the failures of a deregulated and privatized energy system that continues to prioritize market stability and profit over public welfare. Beyond economic impacts, continued dependence on fossil fuels remains a key driver of the climate crisis. From increasingly intense typhoons and flooding to extreme summer heat, the climate crisis is a lived reality for every Filipino.

Yet despite commitments under the Paris Agreement to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the government continues to expand fossil fuel infrastructure, including natural gas, further locking the country into long-term carbon dependence.

Meanwhile, the push toward waste-to-energy (WTE) by both the executive and legislative branches, framed as a renewable energy source and a solution to the waste crisis, is a false solution. It reflects a business-first model that does not address the root causes of waste generation and will likely result in continued greenhouse gas emissions and the release of hazardous pollutants.

On the other hand, the government’s shift toward so-called green energy technologies such as electric vehicles and solar power carries the risk of further entrenching export-oriented extractivism, particularly under policies that allow full foreign ownership of renewable energy investments and the large-scale mining of critical minerals. This reflects a neoliberal economic model that continues to prioritize profit over people, now under the guise of green technology.

To shift toward clean, safe, and truly renewable energy systems, the government should set a clear timeline for the phaseout of fossil fuels and end the expansion of coal, oil, and gas infrastructure, including liquefied natural gas. Instead of promoting waste-to-energy, it should prioritize solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy sources. At the same time, it must ensure that this transition does not lead to further environmental destruction through large-scale extraction of critical minerals, and that communities and ecosystems are protected.

And most importantly, our government should work towards reforming our systems into one that would genuinely put people and the environment over private business interests.

But government action alone is not enough. The theme “Our Power, Our Planet” also underscores the power of the people in shaping the future of our planet. Breaking free from fossil fuels and false solutions requires our collective action, both in pushing our leaders to act, and in making conscious choices to protect our environment.

#EarthDay2026 #ClimateJustice #NoToWasteToEnergy #ToxicsFreeFuture