The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)'s 60th sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SB60) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), held from 3 to 13 June 2024, at the World Conference Centre Bonn (WCCB) served as a vital forum for addressing critical climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. During the SB60, the Regional Pacific Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Hub was invited to present at the first Global Stocktake Dialogue 2024, sharing experiences, lessons and good practices on international cooperative efforts and voluntary initiatives to enhance action and support.
Ms Toiata Apelu Uili, Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Mitigation Coordinator and Samoa’s NDC Hub Focal Point captivated the audience with her insights and updates on the NDC Hub’s progress.
The Regional Pacific NDC Hub, supporting 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICs), is a multi-partner initiative funded by the European Union and the Governments of Germany, New Zealand, and Australia and implemented by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), in collaboration with the NDC Partnership. The NDC Hub is currently in its third phase (from 2022 to 2024) and will undergo a significant transition, as the management of the NDC Hub will be handed over from GIZ to SPC for Phase 4 from September 2024 until 2027.
The main goal of the NDC Hub is to realise a sustainable, low-carbon, and climate-resilient Pacific. By supporting the full implementation of the NDCs that PICs have committed to under the Paris Agreement, the NDC Hub aims to improve NDC planning, policy, strategy, and legislation in PICs; strengthen the enabling environment for NDC implementation; accelerate NDC action and project/programme implementation; and enhance NDC measurement, reporting, verification (MRV), and transparency of climate action.
During her presentation, Ms Apelu Uili highlighted several key achievements of the NDC Hub since its inception in 2018:
- 14 NDC updates and Investment Plans that ensure PICs have robust and actionable strategies to meet their climate commitments;
- 36 successful activities supporting NDC implementation. These activities span various sectors and include country requests aimed at increasing renewable energy capacity and improving energy efficiency, the review of policies to support climate resilience, and building national capacity for climate action;
- 12 MRV plans have been carried out to help PICs track their progress accurately and transparently;
- 30 training and workshops have been conducted, including the successful training of 60 journalists in climate communications, empowering local and regional media to effectively report on climate issues.
Ms Apelu Uili also emphasised the Pacific region’s financial challenges, which were a key topic of discussion during SB60.
“According to the International Monetary Fund, the region needs $1 billion per annum for resilience and adaptation, and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates $650 million per annum is needed until 2030 for renewable energy (RE) in NDCs. Unfortunately, the Pacific is currently receiving only $220 million per annum, which is less than 0.22% of the global promise and significantly less than what is needed, and is sporadic, short-term, and unsustainable,” said Ms Apelu Uili.
Overall, the NDC Hub presentation at SB60 was well received, with many countries and other regions showing interest in the innovative approach of the Pacific region to meeting their NDCs and setting a global precedent. The presentation also shed light on the disproportionately low contribution of the Pacific region to climate change compared to their high vulnerability as small islands due to their reliance on the natural environment for food, subsistence, livelihoods, and well-being. Ms Apelu Uili further underscored the critical role of the NDC Hub in driving climate action in the Pacific, emphasising that the support and extension of the project speaks to the unmet needs of the region, as well as its continuous display of leadership in climate action, resilience, and sustainability. As the world grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change, the Pacific's proactive approach offers a model for global efforts towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
For more information on the NDC Hub, visit https://pacificndc.org.
Contacts
- Amit Singh, NDC Hub manager | [email protected]
- Angelica Salele, Climate Change Flagship Programme Communications Officer | [email protected]
