Spotlighting UNDP South-South Cooperation in the Pacific: Insights from Regional Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Green Transformation Actions

Spotlighting UNDP South-South Cooperation in the Pacific: Insights from Regional Knowledge Sharing Workshop on Green Transformation Actions

Pacific Island countries face significant climate-change challenges, including rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and disruptions to vital ecosystems. In response, a clean energy transformation is not just a necessity but a crucial strategy for building resilience and ensuring long-term sustainability. However, weak private sector participation, a lack of competitive environment, and high capital costs in these countries hinder the development of clean energy projects, leaving efforts fragmented and isolated.

Singapore, as a Small Island Development State (SIDs) with a dynamic green transition pathway, serves as an inspiration for the Pacific Island countries. The country’s achievements in smart grids, energy efficiency, and green finance —underpinned by a robust policy framework—offer important lessons for other islands facing similar challenges, such as limited land availability and reliance on imported energy. Tapping on Singapore’s experience, the Pacific Island countries can relate to similar challenges that are useful for their own green transformation and sustainable energy future.

To facilitate knowledge sharing and foster collaboration, a regional workshop was co-organized in Singapore from 16 to 18 December 2024 by the UNDP Project for Promoting Green Transformation in the Pacific Region towards Net-zero and Climate-resilient Development, which is funded by the Government of Japan, along with the UNDP Global Centre for Technology, Innovation, and Sustainable Development, and the Energy Studies Institute at the National University in Singapore. The workshop brought together 32 energy and policy experts from Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu and Singapore to explore renewable energy integration and energy efficiency through innovative technologies and policies.

The event also provided a platform for Pacific Island countries to exchange and share their own unique challenges and solutions. In the spirit of collaboration and knowledge exchange, the delegates from Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Timor-Leste presented the experiences from their respective countries.

Discussions focused on key topics such as integrating renewable energy into existing grids, the digitalization of energy systems, and the deployment of advanced technologies like energy storage. A key component of the workshop was a technical site visit to the Sembcorp Tengeh Floating Solar Farm, providing participants with firsthand insights into how successful renewable energy projects could be adapted for the Pacific region.

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