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THE PACIFIC EXPLORES THE LINKS BETWEEN WATER AND ENERGY ON
WORLD WATER DAY
Did you know that 8% of global energy
generation is used for pumping, treating and
transporting water to various consumers?
Did you also know that most of the
electricity generated in the Pacific Island
countries and territories is from water?
The links between these two scarce yet
important resources, water and energy, is
the theme of this year’s World Water Day,
celebrated globally on 22nd March.
Each year, World Water Day is
acknowledged throughout the Pacific
with the support of awareness materials
prepared and distributed by the SOPAC
Division of SPC. This year’s theme draws
attention to the vital role of water and energy
sources to the sustainable development of
Pacific Island countries and territories.
While energy is needed to pump, treat
and distribute water to Pacific households,
water is also an important energy source
in several Pacific Island countries and
territories, where the energy of rivers and
streams is harnessed by hydro-electric
facilities at the municipal, village and even
household scale.
Solomone Fifita, head of the SPC
Economic Development Division’s Energy
Programme, noted the close linkages that
exist between the conservation of water
and energy resources. “The choices we
make every day on our water and energy
use are closely related, and decisions on
the supply, distribution, price and use of
water and energy impact one another,” he
said.
“In the Pacific, we’re making some great
progress in developing renewable energy
sources and demonstrating innovative
water-saving technologies such as eco-
sanitation, yet many Pacific communities
still struggle to secure safe, sustainable
and affordable energy, water and sanitation
solutions.”
“This is why international events such as
World Water Day are important to celebrate
our achievements, while at the same time
advocate on the need for greater efforts to
improve the sustainability of our precious
resources such as water and energy.”
World Water Day is being celebrated across
the Pacific in a variety of ways. In Fiji,
activities kicked off yesterday in the town of
Korovou, Tailevu, where local communities
and students from nearby schools joined in
games and exercises designed to explore
the links between water and energy and
the importance of these resources to future
generations.
SPC staff distributing World Water Day 2014 awareness materials to invited students
during the celebration of World Water Day in Korovou, Tailevu
SURVEY ON CHANGING WAVES AND COASTS IN THE PACIFIC TO
SUPPORT BETTER COASTAL MANAGEMENT
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC 2007) lists wave climate
as one of six major climate drivers for
coastal systems. The wave climate around
individual islands varies according to the
nearshore water depths and reef shape.
As yet, however, there has been no formal
assessment of baseline wave climate or
climate change effects on wind-waves at
scales relevant to Pacific Island countries.
This represents a key uncertainty for climate
change adaptation.
This major knowledge gap will be addressed
by the Changing Waves and Coasts in the
Pacific (WACOP) Project. Developed under
the ACP Caribbean & Pacific Research
The foreground shows an oceanographic instrument anchored to shallow rocks at Maui Bay, Fiji
and recording temperature, water levels, waves and water flow