Samoa taking steps to development goals

20 May 2016, 12:00AM

Samoa is taking steps towards addressing the 2030 Agenda on the Sustainable Development Goals (S.D.G) in particular two of the 17 S.D.Gs - global climate action (S.D.G 13) and renewable and clean energy (S.D.G 11).  

Renewable Energy helps to provide solutions to climate challenge, poverty, food security and many other challenges. Clean, renewable energy will act as a catalyst and a force-multiplier for the S.D.Gs.  

If we advance on it well before 2030, it will vastly improve our chances of achieving the other S.D.Gs.

In 2011, the Secretary General launched the Sustainable Energy for All, a global platform for all partners to come together across issues of energy access, renewables and energy efficiency. 

Since then, thousands of actors from all sectors and regions of the world have stepped up to the challenge.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E), Samoa Trust Estate Corporation (S.T.E.C) and U.N.D.P co-hosted a workshop at the Tanoa Tusitala Conference Room on Improving the Performance and Reliability of Renewable Energy Power Systems in Samoa (I.M.P.R.E.S.S).  

This is one of the activities of the climate change mitigation project preparation grant (P.P.G) to develop a full project document for submission to G.E.F for approval for mobilizing US$6 million.  

The P.P.G is jointly implemented by U.N.D.P in collaboration with M.N.R.E as the implementing partner. U.N.D.P Resident Coordinator and UN Resident Representative, Lizbeth Cullity, said: “The P.P.G I.M.P.R.E.S.S project aims to develop a project document framework design for the cost-effective utilization of indigenous renewable energy resources for energy production in Samoa and build on the ongoing and planned projects and priorities of the Government of Samoa (G.O.S) towards the realization of the 100% Renewable energy target.”

General Manager of S.T.E.C, Patea Setefano, challenged participants to help the Project Team develop a framework design that takes into consideration current context on renewable energy in Samoa from their own unique stakeholder perspective.

Stakeholder consultations are important in achieving the project design objectives and in tandem with U.N.D.P-G.E.F programme design and procedures. 

Key stakeholders were tasked to come up with an agreed project framework design (logframe) or project-planning matrix that will be the basis for the I.M.P.R.E.S.S project design for the cost-effective use of indigenous renewable energy resources for energy production in Samoa. 

The consultation workshop drew participants from a wide cross section of renewable energy stakeholders including government (M.N.R.E, M.o.F, M.C.I.L, M.C.I.T, M.W.C.S.D, and M.W.T.I), state corporations (E.P.C, S.T.E.C, S.R.O.S and the Office of the Regulator), the private sector and financial institutions, development partners, and academia.

The project inception workshop discussed and documented challenges for the realization of Samoa’s 100per cent renewable energy target, including barriers existing in the national context preventing government and the private sector from promoting and supporting the application of new energy technologies, and renewable energy-based power generation in Samoa.

The consultative Inception Workshop is a step in the right direction for Samoa to achieve 100per cent renewable energy for electricity generation by 2017 and addressing the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development Goals.

20 May 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>