European Chambers of Commerce (Eurocamara) president Hans Witsenboer on Wednesday said the country must increase its share of renewable energy to counteract the effects of climate change, to which the Caribbean nation is highly vulnerable.
He criticized the Dominican government goal to increase the percentage of alternative energy to just 3% in 2017 and 5% in 2020, while Europe´s current consumed energy is 25% renewable and raised to 45% by 2030.
“The Dominican Republic is going very badly on climate change and it´s investing heavily in the construction of two coal-fired plants that have high pollution footprint when they should be using more clean energy sources,” the business leader said.
He said the country has many opportunities to develop projects based on the use of the sun, wind, sea and waste and companies interested in them, but noted that “many things must change,” such as the policy of incentives in the Renewable Energy Act.
“There are enough opportunities,” Witsenboer told hoy.com.do, accompanied by European Investment Bank (EIB) Caribbean Regional Office director Rene Perez. They announced the Forum on Climate Change: “Innovation for energy sustainability,” set for October 15 at Sans Souci Terminal.
Financing
Perez said the EIB can lend up to US$80.0 billion per year for various projects, including renewable energy. Of that figure, the ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) receive US $1.0 billion, but Dominican Republic has yet to benefit from the lack of government commitment.
