Pacific island nations are preparing to run their entire region on renewable energy alone, making it the planet's first region to do so.
As The Conversation observed, the plan tackles an enormous expense problem. These countries spend between 10% and 25% of their entire economic output purchasing imported dirty fuel. That money goes toward power generation equipment, vehicle fuel, and boat motors.
Transitioning to renewables would require an initial investment of approximately $3 billion to $4 billion. However, Pacific nations would save an estimated $610 million to $840 million annually afterward. Those savings could fund schools, hospitals, roads, and storm protection infrastructure.
Transformations are underway already. Fishing vessels powered by electric motors have arrived in Solomon Islands waters. Large-scale battery installations keep electricity flowing consistently for Cook Islands residents. Remote highland communities in Papua New Guinea received solar equipment, bringing illumination to structures that previously had none.
Fiji aims to operate entirely on renewables by 2035. Tuvalu targets an earlier deadline of 2030. A detailed roadmap for regional clean energy debuted at COP30 in Brazil.
"If we can manage the rapid transition of our energy systems in the Pacific Islands, it can be a beacon for the rest of the globe," said Vanuatu climate and energy minister Ralph Regenvanu, per The Conversation. "Our survival depends on it."
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