News

GGGI and the Governments of Fiji and New Zealand Launch New Program to Tackle Climate Change and Reduce Emissions in Key Sectors

Suva, Fiji, Wednesday, July 7, 2021 – The governments of Fiji and New Zealand, and development partner the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), today launched the regional Low Emissions Climate Resilient Development (LECRD) program in Fiji. Under the LECRD project, Fiji’s Ministry of Economy (MoE), as well as other key government partners and GGGI, will deliver projects that will support the implementation of Fiji’s forthcoming Climate Change Bill, and the development of a low emissions energy sector.

New Zealand High Commissioner, Jonathan Curr, and Acting Head of the Climate Change Division, MoE, Vineil Narayan, rolled-out the LECRD program on the sidelines of the Fiji National Energy Policy Validation Workshop.

The LECRD program aims to support Fiji and other Pacific Island countries to develop sustainable strategies and plans that support climate mitigation and resilience actions.

New Zealand High Commissioner Jonathan Curr during the Virtual Launch of LECRD Project (Fiji)

High Commissioner Curr highlighted that “inclusive and ambitious planning is required to generate the longer-term impacts necessary to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Central to this is the development of climate change policies, plans and investment roadmaps, across a wide range of sectors, such as electricity, transport, agriculture, tourism and urban planning. New Zealand is pleased to support the initiatives led by the government of Fiji to reduce emissions in the energy sector and to implement the Climate Change Bill.”

Under the LECRD program, the Climate Change Bill Implementation Support project will assist Fiji’s private sector to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions and integrate climate resilience and energy efficiency in Fiji building code and sector.

The Low Emission Energy Sector project will help to develop tools and regulations that support a more efficient energy and transport sector and electricity generation, including key regulations for new vehicle standards and battery disposal, along with an assessment of the economic impact of fossil fuel subsidy reductions in key sectors.

Acting Head of the Climate Change Division, Min. of Economy (Fijian Government), Vineil Narayan during the Virtual Launch of LECRD Project (Fiji)

Fiji aims to enact its draft Climate Change Bill by end of this year and develop a robust e-mobility project for public transportation. The LERCD Program is certainly timely and fit for purpose as it will support these two key national deliverables through targeted policy-based assistance”, said Vineil Narayan, Acting Head of the Climate Change & International Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Economy.

This partnership will further strengthen these key sectors and improve mitigation and adaptation, thanks to improved regulatory frameworks, standards, as well as associated implementation capacities.

Daniel Munoz-Smith (left) & Miguel Londono (right) of GGGI during the Virtual Launch of LECRD Project (Fiji)

 “GGGI is very pleased to be partnering with Fiji on the development and implementation of these projects, building upon the partnership that we have established since 2015, and also brings to bear GGGI´s experience in delivering similar support in other Small Island Developing Countries (SIDS)”, said Daniel Muñoz-Smith, GGGI Country Representative for Fiji, Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tonga.

The LECRD program is a regional collaboration between GGGI, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and targeted Pacific Island Countries (PICs). The LECRD program supports PICs to develop policy, legislation, regulations, standards, strategies, roadmaps, and investment plans that create an enabling environment for increased green investment and impactful climate action.

All this work is part of a long-lasting and steady relationship joined recently by New Zealand as strategic partner, where GGGI has been supporting Fiji since 2015 to develop and implement key green growth and climate change policies, such as: the NDC Implementation Roadmap for the energy sector for Fiji (2017); the definition of Fiji’s Low Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS) (2018); Fiji’s NDC investment plans and roadmap (2020); and currently supporting the development of Fiji’s new National Energy Policy.

In addition to Fiji, GGGI is delivering the 3-year LECRD program in Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu.

 

About the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)

Based in Seoul, GGGI is an intergovernmental organization that supports developing country governments transition to a model of economic growth that is environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. GGGI delivers programs in 38 partner countries with technical support, capacity building, policy planning & implementation, and by helping to build a pipeline of bankable green investment projects. More on GGGI’s events, projects and publications can be found on www.gggi.org. You can also follow GGGI on Twitter and join us on Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.

 

Miguel Londoño
Project Manager
miguel.londono@gggi.org

 

(GGGI Seoul HQ)
HeeKyung Son, Communications Lead
+82 70-7117-9957
H.Son@GGGI.org