Pacific Islands Move Toward Regional Roadmap for 100% Renewable Energy

Pacific Island governments are discussing the development of a regional roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels and move towards 100% renewable energy. The proposal was advanced during Pre-COP31 discussions in Fiji and builds on the Pacific Islands Forum’s August decision to establish a Pacific Renewable Energy Commissioner to coordinate the region’s energy transition. The roadmap is intended to help countries address shared barriers including scale, fossil fuel dependence, investment needs and changes in regional energy trade.

 

A Regional Approach Could Help Smaller Markets Scale the Transition

 

Pacific Island economies face many of the same energy challenges but often lack the scale to address them individually. A regional roadmap could provide a common framework for renewable energy deployment, investment planning and the gradual reduction of fossil fuel imports.

Maina Vakafua Talia, Tuvalu’s Minister for Home Affairs, Climate Change and Environment, said the work should examine both supply and demand as well as the potential impact of changing trade flows. The aim is for the roadmap to be well advanced by the second International Conference on Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels in Tuvalu next July.

 

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Energy Security Is as Important as Emissions Reduction

 

For many Pacific countries, the transition is being framed as an economic and energy-security issue as much as a climate goal. Small island states depend heavily on imported fuels, leaving households and businesses exposed to price volatility determined outside the region.

Jess Gasper Jr, Minister in Assistance to the President and Minister of Environment of the Marshall Islands, said fuel prices reach around $8 per gallon in the capital and as much as $20 in some outer islands. “For small island nations, renewable energy is not only about cutting emissions — it is about energy security, resilience, and greater independence,” he said.

 

The Commissioner Will Provide a New Regional Coordination Point

 

The Pacific Renewable Energy Commissioner was approved by leaders at the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in August. Its mandate is to strengthen regional coordination around the shift towards renewable energy and away from fossil fuels.

Andrew Jones, Deputy Director-General of the Pacific Community, said the organisation is supporting member states in establishing the Commissioner and developing a renewable transition strategy. The wider goal is to scale energy access while working towards a fossil fuel-free Pacific.

 

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Development Partners Are Building Finance and Planning Support

 

The regional discussions are being supported by several international initiatives. The Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance and NDC Partnership have established support for countries seeking to develop fossil fuel transition roadmaps, while the Asian Development Bank has created a Just Transition Support Platform for the Pacific.

Yevgeniy Zhukov, Director General of ADB’s Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, said the transition needs to remain Pacific-led and reflect the region’s economic and social priorities. ADB plans to support evidence gathering, policy development and investment planning while helping governments manage impacts on vulnerable groups.

 

The Next Step Is Turning a Shared Vision Into an Investment Plan

 

Pacific governments have previously called for a fossil fuel-free region and played a role in securing the COP28 agreement to transition away from fossil fuels. The proposed roadmap would move that political position closer to an implementation framework covering energy systems, finance and economic adjustment.

The key test will be whether countries can turn the shared 100% renewable energy ambition into realistic national and regional investment pathways. Progress on the Commissioner, financing mechanisms and the roadmap itself ahead of COP31 and next year’s Tuvalu conference will show how quickly the region can move from coordination to delivery.