In Negros Occidental, a province with a long history of resisting coal plants, young activists have helped defeat six coal proposals over the last few decades. The last proposal, in 2019, was met with protests that pushed the provincial government to declare Negros Occidental coal-free. That victory did not end the work — it shifted it. The province now produces significant renewable energy, but it still mostly consumes fossil fuels, and new concerns have emerged around land use for solar farms and the risks of “bad renewables” like biomass. Across the Philippines, young people are navigating this complicated landscape, pushing for solutions that go beyond simply swapping one energy source for another.
These numbers tell part of the story, but the real picture is more layered. The 75% reduction target, for instance, is conditional on international support — meaning it depends on funding and technology from wealthier nations. And while 119 young people participated in formal consultations, thousands more are organising at the local level, often without institutional backing. The fight against pollution and climate change in the Philippines is being shaped by a generation that inherited the crisis and is now figuring out how to lead the way out, one community at a time. For a deeper look at how local efforts are tackling pollution, you can read about community heroes combatting pollution across the archipelago.
What a Just Energy Transition Actually Means for Filipino Youth
The term “just energy transition” gets thrown around a lot, but for the young people on the ground, it has a very specific meaning. It is not just about replacing coal with solar panels. It is about ensuring that the shift to clean energy does not repeat the same mistakes — displacing communities, destroying ecosystems, or concentrating benefits in the hands of a few. When Joshua Villalobos of NICE talks about the climate imperative pushing young people to act, he is describing a generation that sees the stakes clearly. They are not waiting for permission. They are building alternatives, teaching each other, and showing up at government consultations with concrete proposals.
The Real-World Cost of Dirty Energy and the Fight Against It
Dirty energy — produced by burning coal, oil, and gas — accounts for 68 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations. In the Philippines, the consequences are not abstract. Typhoon Opong hit parts of the Visayas in September, forcing NICE to postpone a youth conference. It was the third storm to strike the country in ten days, leaving at least 42 people dead and 41 injured. That is the context in which these young activists operate — their meetings get cancelled because the weather, made worse by the very system they are fighting, literally gets in the way.
Enriquez’s story illustrates the personal cost of this work. She was 11 when the Atimonan One Energy coal plant project was first proposed in her coastal town. She watched fish catches dwindle, mountainsides stripped, and neighbours forced out. Her grandfather pushed her to action, and together they raised placards and formed KAPAKANAN. When he passed away, she inherited both the organisation and the cause. The project promised 6,000 jobs, but Enriquez noted that the workers being brought in were not from Atimonan. A coal moratorium temporarily suspended the project in 2020, but in 2025, a decade after resistance began, A1E is set to resume production. “We are being sidelined,” she said. “Sometimes, we lose all hope.” What keeps her going are the younger children in KAPAKANAN who wait for her to return after school, ready to colour placards and learn. “I don’t want them to experience this, so I will fight it.”
What Often Gets Missed in the Renewable Energy Conversation
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| Energy Source | Key Benefit | Hidden Cost or Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | Reliable baseload power | 68% of global emissions; local pollution; community displacement |
| Solar | Clean, abundant, falling costs | Requires large land areas; risks land conversion and mining for minerals |
| Biomass | Uses organic waste; renewable | Burning still produces emissions; considered a “bad renewable” by some advocates |
The renewable energy boom in Negros Occidental has brought new challenges that are not always part of the public conversation. Solar energy needs land and minerals, which increases the risks of land conversion and mining. So-called “bad renewables” produced through burning, like biomass, remain a threat because they still release emissions. Joshua Villalobos is trying to find solutions to these issues through his work with NICE. The nuance here matters: a just transition is not simply about more renewables. It is about which renewables, where they are built, who benefits, and what gets sacrificed.
The Gap Between National Targets and Local Reality
The Philippines’ Nationally Determined Contribution commits to a 75 percent reduction in emissions by 2030, but this target is conditional on international support. That means the country’s ability to meet its pledge depends on funding and technology from wealthier nations — something that is far from guaranteed. Meanwhile, local communities are dealing with immediate threats: a coal plant resuming construction, a typhoon cancelling a conference, a military officer taking photos at a meeting. The gap between national policy and lived experience is where youth organisations are doing their most important work.
When “Development” Promises Collide with Community Welfare
The Atimonan coal plant promised 6,000 jobs, a powerful lure in a coastal town where economic opportunities are limited. But Enriquez pointed out that the workers being brought in were not from Atimonan — they were people who already had knowledge of plant operations from other areas. “Of course, people will be blinded by these promises, but that means we won’t stop trying,” she said. This is a pattern that repeats across the country: large infrastructure projects are sold as economic development, but the benefits often flow elsewhere, while the environmental and health costs stay local. Young activists are not opposing development — they are asking who it actually serves.
How Young Filipinos Are Shaping Climate Policy and What You Can Do
Youth participation in climate policy is not just symbolic. In August 2025, the Climate Change Commission, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the National Youth Commission, with support from the UNDP, held a series of youth consultations across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. A total of 119 participants joined interactive workshops, policy simulations, and consultative dialogues in Manila, Iloilo, and Davao. The result was a Youth Pledge to Climate Action — a document with unified recommendations intended to directly inform the updated NDC text. This is one concrete channel for influence, but it is not the only one.
Join or Start a Local Youth Environmental Organisation
Groups like NICE in Negros Occidental and KAPAKANAN in Quezon province are built by young people for their own communities. They do not require formal credentials — just a willingness to learn and act. NICE runs a Kids chapter that teaches children about climate change through simple, hands-on activities. If there is no group in your area, the model is replicable: gather a few friends, identify a local environmental issue, and start with education and awareness. The key is consistency, not scale.
Participate in Government Consultations and Policy Processes
The NDC consultation process is one example, but there are others. Sangguniang Kabataan councils, Local Youth Development Offices, and public hearings on environmental impact assessments are all entry points. The UNDP-supported workshops showed that young people’s input is being taken seriously at the national level. To get involved, watch for announcements from the Climate Change Commission or your local government’s environment office. Showing up with prepared, evidence-based recommendations carries more weight than general complaints.
Understand the Trade-Offs in Renewable Energy Projects
Not all renewable energy is good for communities. Solar farms require large land areas, which can lead to land conversion and displacement. Biomass projects that burn organic material still produce emissions. Before supporting a renewable energy project, ask: Who owns it? Where will it be built? What will be displaced? Who gets the jobs? The goal is not to oppose renewables but to push for projects that are genuinely just — meaning they benefit local communities and do not create new environmental problems. For more on how pollution affects local environments, see the discussion on how Filipino waste impacts the environment.
Watch for the Resurgence of Old Projects
The Atimonan coal plant was suspended by a moratorium in 2020, but it is set to resume production in 2025. This pattern — a project being blocked, then returning years later — is common. Environmental victories are often temporary, and vigilance is required even after a win. Young activists in Negros Occidental defeated six coal proposals, but the province still mostly consumes fossil fuels. The fight does not end with a declaration; it shifts to implementation and monitoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Closing
The young Filipinos leading the fight against pollution and for a just energy transition are not waiting for permission or for perfect solutions. They are teaching children about climate science in forest parks, showing up to government consultations with policy recommendations, and facing down coal plants and red-tagging with the same stubborn hope. The path forward is not simple — it involves trade-offs, setbacks, and the constant risk of co-optation. But the evidence from Negros Occidental, Atimonan, and the NDC consultations is clear: when young people organise, they shift the terms of the debate. If this was useful, you might also want to read about community efforts tackling marine pollution.
Sources
Local heroes combatting pollution in the Philippines — Profiles of grassroots environmental defenders and their strategies for fighting pollution at the community level.
How Filipino waste impacts the environment — An overview of the waste management challenges facing the Philippines and their environmental consequences.
Young Filipinos and the just energy transition across Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao. Rappler, 2025.
Youth voices are shaping the updating of the Philippines’ NDC. United Nations Development Programme Philippines, 2025.
