European Union Ambassador to the Pacific Wiepke van der Goot joined with Dr. Jimmie Rodgers, Director of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and officials from the Marshall Islands, Palau and the Federated States of
Micronesia to sign grant documents on Friday in Pohnpei.
“It is the single largest financial commitment ever made by the EU in these three countries,” van der Goor said.
“The aim of the Northern Pacific Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Program (North-REP) is to improve the overall efficiency of the energy sector through energy efficiency and grid-connected renewable energy, and increase access to remote populations to affordable and reliable renewable electricity services,” the ambassador said.
The installation of home solar units — which follows on recent EU-funded home solar unit installations for remote areas in the Marshall Islands — “will have a positive impact on income generation and the quality of education and health services, resulting in poverty reduction, improvement in the quality of life and increased opportunities,” he said.
But, he said, the units are not free. To ensure the solar equipment lasts, the program is managed in each island by a local utility and a service fee is charged so that there is funding for ongoing maintenance and spare parts.
The EU is committing 14.4 million euros, or about $20 million, for the renewable energy program.
“Climate change is a serious threat to all countries, but particularly to the communities of low-lying atolls in the Pacific,” he said. “Because this program creates energy from the sun, it will help to mitigate some the damaging effects expected of climate change.”
The North-REP program will be implemented over four-years with assistance from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
For outer islands that currently have no source of electricity, the EU-funded North-REP program will provide renewable energy based electricity to households, schools and health centers, van der Goot said.
The second agreement inked by the EU and SPC will provide 9 million euros, or $11.7 million, for scientific research and management of fisheries in the region, both oceanic and coastal.
The project will contribute to fishery sustainability by providing the 15 Pacific ACP, or African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, member countries with a reliable scientific basis for development of management arrangements for both tuna and coastal fisheries, said van der Goot,
The project will build capacity in a number of areas, including strengthening of observer programs on tuna fishing vessels, expanding the ability to collect information on coastal fisheries, and improving management of data from both oceanic and coastal fisheries.
“The natural resources of the Pacific Ocean are fundamental for the well-being of Pacific Island people. But they are also of global interest and concern. We are happy to contribute to ensuring their good management and conservation for future generations,” he said.
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