Fight for survival, Small Island States seek alternative energy sources

Bangkok (United Nations Information Services) -- With rising sea levels threatening their very existence and the fluctuating price of oil damaging their current accounts, small islands states in the Pacific are banding together to find alternative and renewable energy sources.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN/ESCAP), is working closely with many of the Pacific islands. It has sponsored workshops, bringing together energy experts from around the world to meet with island representatives and discuss alternative forms of energy.

The main problem facing the small islands is their reliance on imported fossil fuel. Diesel generators provide the majority of electricity, and as the demand in rural areas grows for greater access to electricity, so too does the demand for fossil fuel.

In past, regional politicians had shown little interest in the topic of renewable energy. But increased demand and the unpredictability of oil prices have sharpened the focus.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEP) have sponsored the Pacific Islands Renewable Energy Project, or PIREP, at a cost of $811,000. The money will be used by 14 Pacific Island States to identify sustainable projects.

But at present, most renewable energy programs aren't sustainable due to a lack of local expertise.

According to a report prepared by UN/ESCAP (E/ESCAP/1245), most of the small islands states in the Pacific lack the skilled human resources needed to develop renewable energy projects. "Responsibilities and authorities regarding energy policy issues are in general unclear and often lack legal frameworks," it says.

Because of their relatively small populations and high migration rates the small island states, "cannot expect to build and maintain capacity in all areas of sustainable energy development at the national level," the study concludes. It is therefore likely that these countries will continue to require foreign funding and expertise to develop alternative energy programs.

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