European Union to co-host Pacific Energy Summit

The European Union is pleased to co-host the Pacific Energy Summit with New Zealand in April 2013. Addressing the effects of climate change is a key priority for the EU in this region.

The aim of the conference is to galvanise action in renewable energy development in Pacific Island countries.

"The Pacific Energy Conference will provide a unique platform for Pacific Countries to outline their plans for introducing renewable energy and energy efficiency measures and will bring together donors and potential private sector investors who can help accelerate progress" says the EU's Development Cooperation Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs.

"The event is fully in line with the objectives of the EU-Pacific development partnership and the already fruitful cooperation. It can also help to identify specific recommendations for concrete action to address Climate Change and Green Growth. The role of well-coordinated initiatives on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency is pivotal for reducing the energy dependency on imported fuels which many Pacific Countries face."

"This is why I strongly support the organization and EU sponsoring of the Pacific Energy Conference" says Commissioner Piebalgs.

As the second-largest donor to the Pacific, the European Union is already deeply committed to the provision of renewable energy in the region. There are several successful regional projects active in the field of renewable energies:

Support to the energy sector in five Pacific Islands (via a project called REP5);
Tonne Equivalent Pétrole Valorisation des Energies Renouvelables et Transfert d'Expérience et de Savoir faire (TEP VERTES) has been implemented in three Pacific OCTs (overseas countries and territories that are connected with EU countries).
In the coming months the European Union's Budget Support assistance for Tonga will be focussed on the energy sector.

Moreover, the Pacific Investment Facility, to be launched later this year, is a financing instrument which will also address the specific fields of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in the Pacific region.

ENDS

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