“Cape Verde stands out as a model for other SIDS in establishing an overall setting for successfully promoting renewable energy, which includes political commitment embodied in legislation and targets, opening of the power grid to competition by a variety of renewable energy providers, planning to evaluate the optimal mix of renewable generating options on the power grid, and capacity building to plan, build and operate the island’s electric grid with a higher share of renewable generation,” IRENA’s Gauri Singh told AFKInsider.
The “Island Paradox”
The distance from global markets and unique multi-island geography of the Small Island Developing States – the so-called “Island Paradox” – makes them extremely vulnerable to a wide range of economic shocks, such as instability of transported trade goods and threats such as rising sea levels, typhoons and tsunamis attributed to climate change. Because of this, these island nations continue to work toward energy independence to ease the impacts from some of these unpredictable shocks.
According to the UN’s Hiro Morita-Lou, the western African SIDS of Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau and Sao Tome and Principe are already being affected by climate change.
“For example, Guinea Bissau registered a reduction and change in the rain patterns in the last 30 years, having serious effects in the health sector,” Hiro Morita-Lou told AFKInsider. “In addition, Mauritius had flash floods in March 2013 where two-hours of heavy rain flooded the capital. Seychelles also experienced unprecedented floods and landslides in January 2013.”
“We understand from climate experts and local stakeholders that the Seychelles are particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels,” IRENA’s Gauri Singh told AFKInsider.
Future Investments
During the two-day “Achieving Sustainable Energy for All in Small Island Developing States” conference in May 2012,the island nations recognized that their dependence on fossil fuel imports was leaving them vulnerable and advanced a move towards sustainable energy through the Barbados Declaration. They also called on international development banks, the UN and the private sector to step up funding support for sustainable energy projects.
The upcoming 3rd UN Conference on Small Island Developing States September 1-4 in Samoa could just take the Small Island Developing States to the next level.
With the theme: “The sustainable development of small island developing states through genuine and durable partnerships,” the UN has already indicated there will be an announcement of over 200 new partnerships through the six multi-stakeholder partnership dialogues, held in parallel with the plenary meetings. Prior to the conference, stakeholder island countries had identified six critical areas where new global partnerships were needed to strengthen sustainable development, including: Climate change & Disaster Risk management; Oceans, Seas and Biodiversity; Water and Sanitation, Food Security and Waste Management; Sustainable energy; Social development in SIDS, Health and Non-communicable diseases, youth and women.
In addition, several pre-conference meetings will take place prior to the Conference, including the Renewable Energy Forum August 30 in Apia, Samoa. The Governments of New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, as well as IRENA and the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All are organizing this forum to explore how to build on new and existing development partnerships. The Forum will complement the multi-stakeholder partnership dialogue session on sustainable energy to be held during the Conference.
“UN Office for Sustainable Development is supporting African SIDS in shifting policies for energy from fossil fuel to renewable energy. The SIDS conference in Samoa will be a place to promote those opportunities to investors,” says the UN’s Hiro Morita-Lou.
