Pacific Nationally Determined Hub may be in Suva

Aregional hub for the Pacific focussing on Pacific’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) will have the full backing of Fiji and may even be based in Suva. Germany has already made its intensions known of supporting the set up of such a hub.

A dialogue on this was held on the margins of the COP23 event in Bonn, Germany, where Fijian Attorney-General and Minister Responsible for Climate Change Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum assured the Pacific of Fiji’s support.

In the session, he was joined by Agriculture Minister Inia Seruiratu who wore the hat of High-Level Champion of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action.

As a group of countries that are highly exposed to climate change and with limited greenhouse gas emissions, the focus for Pacific Island countries is transforming our economies to ones that are not only investing in renewable energy and clean transport but have a clear focus on economic growth in a manner that adapts to, and is resilient to, climate change.

At a high level this regional Pacific NDC Hub will contribute to:

Enhancing the Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) ability to implement the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda through improved access to finance, low carbon investments and debt management initiatives; and

Enhancing countries’ capacity to manage climate risks through long-term sustainable investment programmes, conducive legal frameworks, private sector integration and innovative policy development.

In particular, the regional hub will provide advisory and technical support to Pacific Island Countries to enhance and implement their NDCs. This is to integrate the climate actions into their development plans; support PICs with the required systematic review of the implementation of their NDCs and the acceleration of climate actions, as requested in the Paris Agreement. It will build the critical capacity that is required across the Pacific. “As a group of countries that are highly exposed to climate change and with limited greenhouse gas emissions, the focus for Pacific Island countries is transforming our economies to ones that are not only investing in renewable energy and clean transport but have a clear focus on economic growth in a manner that adapts to, and is resilient to, climate change,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.

The concept of this regional Pacific NDC hub has its origins at the inaugural Climate Action Pacific Partnership conference that was attended by more than 200 participants from around the Pacific region and internationally.

The conference established the Climate Action Pacific Partnership, a partnership functioning under the umbrella of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action. Partners recognised the need for a regional hub for effective and coordinated support to Pacific Island countries with the review and enhancement of their NDCs and its implementation.

Mr Seruiratu said: “Through the regional approach Pacific Islands can benefit from – collective coordinated support, pooling of resources, and promotion of south-south cooperation and exchanges. “We hope for this support to increase over time and we thank the government of Germany for already stepping up to support the establishment of this regional hub,” he said.