Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has provided financial support to the Pacific Community (SPC) to convene the 5th Pacific Regional Energy and Transport Ministers Meeting (PRETMM) in Vanuatu from the 8th to the 12th of May 2023.
SPC welcomes the AUD 400,000 contribution from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and the opportunity this brings to strengthen partnerships across the Pacific region.
Participation at the 5th PRETMM will be by officials and ministers responsible for energy and maritime transport from across SPC’s 27 member countries and territories, as well as partners such as the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), stakeholders, contributing experts, and observers. 250 participants are expected to contribute to the meeting throughout the one week.
The 5th PRETMM will discuss the energy and maritime transport sectors' role in supporting and driving collective action towards a carbon-neutral Pacific by 2050, a commitment made by Pacific leaders in Fiji in 2022.
Akuila Tawake, Deputy Director Georesources and Energy programme at SPC explained that the funding is important to ensure Pacific-led initiatives in the energy and maritime transport sector. “Our Pacific region is still very reliant on fossil fuels and as we transition towards a carbon neutral and fossil fuel free region, Australia’s support is important to help us discuss and progress genuine actions to achieve this”.
“We are also grateful to the Government of New Zealand, the World Bank, the International Maritime Organisation and the International Renewable Energy Agency for also providing support to help us host the 5th PRETMM,” Mr Tawake added.
The meeting will deliberate on the progress towards sustainable, modern, and efficient energy services, safe and clean maritime transportation, and mobility in the Pacific. The meeting will also discuss the role and commitments of the energy and maritime transport sectors in:
- implementing the Framework for Energy Security and Resilience in the Pacific (FESRIP) 2021–2030.
- reviewing the Regional Framework for Action on Transport Services (FATS) 2011-2020.
- supporting the Port Vila call for a just transition to a fossil fuel-free Pacific, 2023, which will be considered at the meeting and implementing the Pacific Leaders’ vision under the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
