Niue confirms urgent and ambitious actions to address climate change

9 April 2019, Alofi, Niue – “Global leadership on climate change demands urgent and ambitious actions and Niue remains strongly committed to play its role”, said Hon. Pokotoa Sipeli, Niue’s Minister for Infrastructure, during the opening of the Niue Energy Dialogue this morning.

More than 40 representative from across the government departments, village councils and communities, the private sector and development partners are meeting at the Millennium Hall at Alofi to look at Niue’s energy and greenhouse mitigation targets.

In 2015, Niue adopted its Strategic Energy Roadmap: 2015 – 2025 which outlines Niue’s vision and ambition to reform its energy sector. On the same year, Niue joined the world in welcoming the Paris Agreement with its more transparent reporting obligations.

“Niue is ambitious about its energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation targets and we are taking it as a matter of urgency,” said the Hon. Minister.

Niue has set itself a target of 80% renewable energy generation by 2025 and the indications regarding meeting this target is very promising, thanks to the kind support led by the New Zealand government. “NZ is honoured to support renewable energy throughout the Pacific Islands and to be a strong partner of Niue in this endeavour,” said His Excellency Kirk Yates, the NZ High Commissioner to Niue.   

The dialogue, supported by the Pacific Community’s Pacific Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, will: 

1. discuss the current status of Niue’s energy roadmap and GHG mitigation targets,
2. identify business, employment and other co-benefits arising from pursuing Niue’s energy and GHG targets,
3. discuss and agree on key measures for accelerating progress on Niue’s energy and GHG targets and how they could be financed,
4. discuss and agree on  a whole-of-country approach to pursuing Niue’s energy and GHG targets; and
5. identify effective methodologies for data collection, data analysis, data security and data integration.

“We want to be on top of our game and to be able to effectively meet our implementation and reporting obligations. So much has taken place in the energy sector of Niue in the last 5 years and we want to pause and assess our achievements and challenges and to strategically map the future”, said Andre Siohone, the CEO of the Ministry of Infrastructure. 

The Niue Energy Dialogue will conclude on Friday 12 April.

Media contact:

Solomone Fifita, Manager, Pacific centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, solomonef@spc.int or +676 25209  

Andre Siohone, Director General of Infrastructure, Niue Ministry of Infrastructure, Andre.Siohane@mail.gov.nu or +683 4194

Meeting papers link:

http://prdrse4all.spc.int/node/4/content/niue-national-energy-dialogue

Photo captions

Hon. Pokotoa Sipeli, Niue’s Minister for Infrastructure delivering the opening keynote address.

Participants from Niue Energy Dialogue

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