The Green Climate Fund participated in the recent high-level meeting of 17 ministers of Energy and Environment that the Government of the Maldives convened in its capacity as Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) from 10 to 11 October in Malé.

The AOSIS meeting focused on advancing the Initiative for Renewable Island Energy (IRIE), which was announced at the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP 22) in Marrakech last year. The initiative supports the 39 members of AOSIS in transitioning to low emission renewable energy as part of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

In his speech to the Ministerial meeting, Javier Manzanares, GCF Deputy Executive Director a.i. stressed the co-benefits of transition to renewable energy for AOSIS members, which increases energy independence whilst reducing carbon emissions. He emphasized the commitment of the Green Climate Fund to supporting the energy transition of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), with GCF’s current project portfolio supporting the efforts of many AOSIS members.

GCF has several renewable energy projects with AOSIS members, including the Tina River Hydropower Development Project in the Solomon Islands, the Pacific Islands Renewable Energy Investment Program in the Cook Islands, and Accelerating the Transformational Shift to a Low-Carbon Economy in the Republic of Mauritius.

The Fund has also approved the Sustainable Energy Facility for the Eastern Caribbean, covering AOSIS members Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Furthermore, the newly approved Geeref Next project will invest in renewable energy projects in a number of SIDS, including the Bahamas, Barbados, Comoros, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname.

In addition to renewable energy, the Green Climate Fund supports the adaptation efforts of SIDS, and has climate resilience projects in AOSIS countries Samoa, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Fiji, Nauru, and the Maldives, as well as providing readiness support for AOSIS to aid their members in accessing international climate finance.

“Small Island Developing States are on the frontline of climate change effects,” Mr. Manzanares reminded the ministers. “The Green Climate Fund looks forward to working with the Government of Fiji on the occasion of COP 23 next month to swiftly expand GCF’s project portfolio in these most vulnerable countries.”