Last week we (REEEP) decided to blog about news and relevant issues from the regions we cover (Southern Africa, South Asia, East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific, North America and Latin America and the Caribbean) on a regular basis. Our staff will report directly from the regional secretariats and therefore we hope to give you a comprehensive overview about the local news. Just have a look on our  “News from ….” blogposts, they will cover the most interesting topics from the last weeks from the covered region.

Let’s start with “South East Asia and the Pacific”:

Pacific Leaders Forum, Cairns, Australia
Leaders from Australia, New Zealand and 13 Pacific Island gathered in Cairns in August 2009 for a two-day summit aimed at tackling the impact of the global economic crisis on some of the world’s smallest and poorest nations.
Climate changeClimate change is a lasting change in weather patterns over long periods of time. It can be a natural phenomena and and has occurred on Earth even before people inhabited it. Quite different is a current situation that is also referred to as climate change, anthropogenic climate change, or ... was another focus of the forum, with low-lying atoll nations such as Kiribati, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands among the world’s most vulnerable to rising sea levelsSea level can change, both globally and locally, due to (i) changes in the shape of the ocean basins, (ii) changes in the total mass of water and (iii) changes in water density. Factors leading to sea level rise under global warming include both increases in the total mass of water from the ... and changing weatherWeather refers to the state of the atmosphere with regard to temperature, cloudiness, rainfall, wind, and other meteorological conditions. (UKCIP) patterns. The 40th Communiqué was published.

Pacific Trade Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus
Negotiations for a new free trade agreement under the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations, known as ‘PACER Plus’, between Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, were also on the Pacific Islands Forum’s agenda. Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, described the agreement as critical for driving closer economic integration in the region and advancing towards the UNThe United Nations Organization (UNO) is an international organization that focuses on facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace. It was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace ...’s Millennium Development Goals.

Tonga takes a new approach to energy policy development
The Tongan Government has entered into an agreement with their development partners to work cooperatively on creating an “energyThe ability to perform work, mainly kinetic, potential, thermal energy, but also in forms of gravitational, sound, elastic and electromagnetic energy. roadmapA roadmap is a plan that matches short-term and long-term goals with specific technology solutions to help meet those goals. It is a plan that applies to a new product or process, or to an emerging technology Developing a roadmap has three major uses. It helps reach a consensus about a set of ...”. This energy masterplan is to enable Tonga to reach their policy target of 50% of electricity generationElectricity generation includes all technologies that turn some form of energy into useful electric energy. to be fuelled by renewablesRenewable energy is power generated from infinite sources, such as wind or solar power. Conventional energy is generated from finite sources, such as natural gas or fossil oil. within three years. With this exceptional approach, the Government of Tonga is hoping to coordinate the planning and implementation aspects of the roadmap, whilst tapping into the collective expertise. REEEPThe Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) is a non-profit, specialist change agent aiming to catalyse the market for renewable energy and energy efficiency, with a primary focus on emerging markets and developing countries. is pleased to be of assistance to Tonga in this process.

Pacific Utilities agree to on urgent action to boost the region’s uptake of energy efficiencyUsing less energy/electricity to perform the same function. Programs designed to use electricity more efficiently - doing the same with less. and renewables
Last month, the utilities of the Pacific region met in American Samoa to discuss the strategy of how to meet their countries’ future energy demands under the continued high diesel prices which are harming the viability of Pacific utilities, communities and consumers. At this annual conference, organised by the Pacific Power Association, REEEP addressed the delegates with a key note speech about energy efficiencyUsing less energy/electricity to perform the same function. Programs designed to use electricity more efficiently - doing the same with less. opportunities for the Pacific Islands’ utilities and conducted a workshop for CEOs under the ADB’s Energy for All Partnership.

ADB Holds High-Level Dialogue on ClimateClimate is typically defined as the average weather (or more rigorously a statistical description of the average in terms of the mean and variability) over a period of time, usually 30 years. These quantities are most often surface variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind. Climate ... Change in Asia and the Pacific, Announces Clean Energy Funds
The ADB highlighted the special stake and role of Asian and Pacific countries in solving the climate crisis. During the meeting, ADB’s President Haruhiko Kuroda announced a doubling of the organisation’s annual clean energy spending target from US$1 to US$2 billion starting in 2013.

Consensus GreenTech Awards – Nominations Now Open
Nominations are now open until the end of September 2009. The Awards recognise the contribution made by Australian and New Zealand organisations in the development and commercialisation of environmentally friendly “green” technologies. For more info have a look on the Consensus website.