Environmental Advocates Protest ADB's Proposed Energy Policy Revisions

Strategic Insights -

Environmental advocates and community members gathered outside the Asian Development Bank (ADB) headquarters in Mandaluyong City, Philippines, to oppose the Bank's proposed revisions to its Energy Policy. The changes, which are expected to be voted on in October 2025, would increase funding for waste incineration, mining, and nuclear power development, among other contentious energy projects across Asia. The protesters argue that the revisions prioritize corporate interests over people and the planet, failing to address climate leadership and clean energy investment.

Key Takeaways:

  • The ADB's proposed Energy Policy revisions would increase funding for waste incineration, mining, and nuclear power development, among other contentious energy projects across Asia.
  • The revisions would expand waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration, burning a fraction of waste in power plants called co-firing biofuels, generating more greenhouse gases (GHG) and other toxic emissions.
  • The ADB proposes repurposing coal plants into municipal WTE incineration facilities or to burn fully with biomass materials, wasting scarce public funds on prolonging the agony of coal-impacted communities.
  • Community concerns are supported by hard evidence, including a recent citizen-led air quality study in three cities finding particulate matter pollution near waste-burning plants reaching up to eight times above WHO safety limits.
  • The study found that shutting down a local pyrolysis-gasification plant in Dumaguete, Philippines, could prevent nearly 180 premature deaths annually.
  • The health risks of waste incineration extend into the escalating climate crisis, contributing to heatwaves and releasing large amounts of heat during high-temperature processes.
  • Protesters demanded that the ADB immediately phase out its support for WTE incineration and other false solutions and instead back proven, community-centered approaches.

Statistics:

  • 10,600 deaths in India were attributed to heat-related causes between 2013 and 2022, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and outdoor workers.
  • The particulate matter pollution near waste-burning plants in Surabaya, Indonesia, Ogijo, Nigeria, and Dumaguete, Philippines, reached up to eight times above WHO safety limits.
  • Shutting down a local pyrolysis-gasification plant in Dumaguete, Philippines, could prevent nearly 180 premature deaths annually.
  • The ADB Board is expected to vote on the updated energy policy in October 2025.

Sources:

  • GAIA Asia Pacific's Climate and Anti-incineration Campaigner, Brex Arevalo
  • Zero Waste Europe
  • War on Waste-Break Free From Plastic (WoW-BFFP) Negros Oriental, Co-convenor Merci Ferrer
  • NGO Forum on ADB, Nazareth Del Pilar