Access to accurate and reliable data and the ability to analyse and interpret those data for decision making and the formulation of energy policies are central to the effective participation of Pacific Island countries and territories in global processes such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.
In an effort to address this, a five-day workshop began this week in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, jointly organised by the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and is supported by the World Bank through its Technical Assistance on the Pacific Regional Data Repository for Sustainable Energy for All (PRDR for SE4ALL).
This workshop aims to strengthen PICTs’ ability to effectively monitor and report on their progress on SDG 7 and their respective energy targets in their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.
“It is an excellent partnership between SPC, APEC and the World Bank and we fully acknowledge the support of the Government of Tonga. In fact, we are bringing the PRDR to where it originated from, a Tonga government initiative which SPC is now implementing for the benefit of our region,” SPC’s Economic Development Division Deputy-Director, Solomone Fifita said.
“The APEC Energy Research Centre shares common interests with SPC on energy data and statistics and we look forward for more collaborations in this space,” said Dr Kaoru Yamaguchi, Senior Research Fellow at the Japan-based Centre.
The global community has adopted Goal 7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which focuses on sustainable energy for all and commits the UN family, including Pacific Island countries and territories, to work towards three associated targets by 2020:
- universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
- increase substantially the share of Renewable Energy (RE) in the global energy mix
- double the global rate of improvement in Energy Efficiency (EE)
A global tracking framework has been put in place to trace the progress of every country in terms of these targets.
Pacific Island countries submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) as part of the COP 21 process that led to the adoption of the Paris Agreement. This agreement calls for deep and urgent reduction in emissions, which PICs have acknowledged to be achieved through greater use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, and as part of this agreement, every party is obliged to regularly report on its progress and achievements.
It is expected that this workshop will also assist participants to better use energy security indicators to monitor their progress on the Framework for Pacific Regionalism as well as the implementation of the SAMOA Pathway.
The workshop runs until Friday 18 March.
Media contacts Samantha Naidu, SPC Research & Information Assistant, [email protected] or +679 337 9258
Amali Shaw, SPC Energy Database Assistant, [email protected] or +679 337 9401