New sustainable energy partnerships were announced by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) on September 4 in Apia.

Solomone Fifita the Deputy Director Energy of SPC's Economic Development Division announced these initiatives during a multi-stakeholder Partnership Dialogue at the UN Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

He said the partnerships are aimed to address sustainable energy in an integrated manner linking sustainable energy with other important issues such as non-communicable diseases, which has been declared an epidemic in the Pacific and youth unemployment, which is a growing challenge.

“For example SPC with the governments of Nauru, Niue and Tuvalu, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, youths groups, the private sector, Life Cycle Pacific Task Force and development partners will promote the productive use of bicycles to decrease vehicle congestion in region’s capitals. This will reduce reliance on fossil fuel in the transport sector and promote a healthy lifestyle that will contribute to the reduction of NCDs and empower youths through employment opportunities.”

At the same time, nearly seven out of every 10 people in small island developing states still do not have access to electricity with the lowest levels of access in the Melanesian countries of PNG, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu which averages below 30 percent.

He said Melanesia’s Million Miracle Partnership between SPC, departments of energy in PNG, Solomons and Vanuatu; NGO's, women groups, the private sector, the EU funded African, Carribbean and Pacific (ACP) Business Climate Facility is aimed at bringing the miracle of electricity to 1 million people in Melanesia by 2020.

A Cooking for Life Partnership also promotes the use of liquified petroleum gas and improved biomass stoves as cleaner and safer.

The United States announced a new partnership with SPC to provide specialized training on energy sector planning, regulation and renewable energy to its 22 island member states, while the UN Environment Program partner up with SPC to phase out inefficient lights in the region.