Press Release

Revised National Energy Road Map endorsed by the Government of Vanuatu

PORT VILA, Vanuatu – June 30, 2016 – Vanuatu’s Council of Ministers today endorsed the revised National Energy Road Map 2016-2030 in supporting of strengthening the island nation’s energy sector.

The National Energy Road Map (NERM) was originally endorsed by the Council of Ministers in 2013, and serves as the policy framework for developing the energy sector in Vanuatu. Since the launch of the NERM, Vanuatu’s economy and energy sector have continued to develop.  External events, such as Cyclone Pam in early-2015, have also shaped how energy sector policies and priorities conceived.

The revised NERM 2016-2030 also reflects recent developments by government provide more detail on particular energy focus areas, such as energy efficiency and green growth, and improve consistency of the priorities and objectives.

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), in collaboration with the World Bank, provided technical assistance to Vanuatu’s Department of Energy for the revision of the NERM.  The NERM is based on a 15 year strategic vision and identifies five strategic areas for policy intervention in the energy sector: accessible energy, affordable energy, secure and reliable energy, sustainable energy and green growth.

GGGI provided technical assistance to include in NERM emphasis on energy efficiency by conducting an analysis of business as usual energy demand scenarios and by developing an action plan for energy efficiency in the electricity, buildings, cooking and transport sectors.

GGGI also consulted with a wide range of stakeholders in the productive sectors to provide a policy briefing on energy and green growth and assisting the Department of Energy to develop energy and green growth targets with the objective of increasing the use of renewables in sectors such as water, fisheries and tourism.

Finally, based on an analysis conducted by GGGI and the Department of Energy, the Government of Vanuatu also approved the establishment of a National Green Energy Fund (NGEF) in order to address the issues around financial resources for energy access. The NGEF will be used as a tool to implement the objectives of the NERM to achieve 100% rural electrification and promote business and income-generating activities in the rural areas.

“The government supports the use of renewable energy along with the NERM vision which is to energise Vanuatu’s growth and development through the provision of secure, affordable, widely accessible, high quality, clean energy services for an educated, healthy and wealthy Vanuatu,” said Minister of Climate Change, Honourable Ham Lini Vanuaroroa in his foreword to the revised NERM.

GGGI will continue to provide assistance for NERM implementation by focusing on mobilization of financial resources for implementation of the NERM’s renewable energy, energy efficiency and rural electrifications targets.

About GGGI

Based in Seoul, GGGI is an intergovernmental organization founded to support and promote green growth. The organization partners with countries to help them build economies that grow strongly, are more efficient and sustainable in the use of natural resources, less carbon intensive, and more resilient to climate change. GGGI works with countries around the world, building their capacity and working collaboratively on green growth policies that can impact the lives of millions. To learn more about GGGI, see https://gggi.org and visit us on Facebook and Twitter.