Why coal?-The political economy of the electricity sector in the Philippines

The Philippines encounter a rapidly growing electricity demand which is planned to be met mainly with coal. The build-up of coal-fired electricity generation is the result of a complex interplay of political economy factors. This analysis follows a novel political economy framework to shed light on actors, their objectives and how they influence policy-making given the country's context factors, such as the vulnerability to climate change and the oligopoly in the power sector. It is based on 35 semi-structured expert interviews with 50 stakeholders conducted in Metro Manila in October and November 2019. We identify four main goals determining electricity sector policy: reducing energy poverty, energy security, ecological sustainability, as well as private profits. Our insights on the political economy of the electricity sector in the Philippines can help to identify possible entry points for policies to decarbonize energy production. (c) 2021 International Energy Initiative. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.