We are delighted to see the signing of the Pacific Blue Shipping Partnership (PBSP) after years of preparatory work. This is an “ambitious country-driven initiative for a large-scale climate finance investment to catalyse a regional transition to sustainable, resilient, and low carbon shipping.”
The decarbonisation targets for domestic shipping in Oceania are close to alignment with Paris Agreement/1.5C limits to global warming targets:
*Zero emissions by 2050
*40% reduction by 2030 (conditional on access to appropriate finance)
The next step is to secure US$500m in climate funding to deliver on the stated aim: “to deliver fit-for-purpose maritime vessels, slipways and skilled workers to ensure the long-term resilience and connectivity of island communities across Oceania.”
The Pacific Nations that have signed the PBSP are: Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Palau and Tonga plan to sign the agreement soon.
We hope that other Pacific Island states will also join later.
The released statement also clearly outlines this critically important condition: “The unique maritime contexts of islands across Oceania require bespoke solutions for which Pacific expertise, not external consultant preferences, should be central.”
As an organisation, IWSA and it’s members stand ready to support the PBSP and our partners in the region – the Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport (MCST), in the delivery of these goals, and wherever practical/applicable support wind propulsion as a key solution in the technology toolbox.
