The Global Ocean Energy Alliance (GLOEA) for Small Island Developing States
SIDS DOCK and UNIDO
(
Intergovernmental organization
)
#OceanAction41820
Description
Introduction
As a result of a formed multi-stakeholder partnership, the Small Island and Sustainable Energy Resilience Organisation (SIDS DOCK) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) launched the Global Ocean Energy Alliance (GLOEA) on the margins of the UN Ocean Conference in Portugal, Lisbon in 2022. The GLOEA receives support by various SIDS prime ministers and energy ministers and initial funding from the Austrian Government.
Vision
By facilitating access to ocean energy solutions, the GLEOA supports SIDS in Africa, Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific in their aspirations to become climate-resilient and diversified blue-green economies.
The initiative is a concrete contribution to the implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS), the Agenda 2030, particularly SDG7, SDG9, SDG 13 and SDG14, as well as the Paris Climate Agreement.
At COP26, held in Glasgow, the preservation of the ocean health and the decarbonisation of blue industries were acknowledged as important climate change mitigation and adaptation actions.
Mission
The GLOEA provides a platform to connect SIDS with the emerging ocean energy industry in the Global North, that seeks to test new solutions across diverse climates and facilitates access to blue-green financing and venture capital. However, so far most SIDS have not benefited from such innovative technologies due to a broad range of barriers.
Apart from knowledge transfer and capacity building, the GLOEA puts particular emphasis on developing a global portfolio of lighthouse projects, which can serve as a model for replication and commercialisation.
The GLOEA is hosted by the SIDS DOCK Secretariat in Belize and is being rolled-out through a SIDS-SIDS and triangular approach building on the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centres (GN-SEC), coordinated by UNIDO in partnership with the regional economic communities (RECs).
Background
Ocean energy technologies are a new approaching area and industry. It includes an array of technologies using marine space (e.g., offshore wind, floating PV) or non-living marine resources (e.g. wave and tidal energy, ocean thermal energy conversion, salinity gradients, seawater air conditioning, biofuels or bioenergy from algae).
It also comprises also other renewable energy solutions (e.g. solar PV) serving traditional and emerging marine industries, such as fishery and aquaculture, desalination, biotechnology, deep sea mining, ocean intelligence, coastal tourism, shipping and ports. By co-location, ocean energy has the potential to become a multifunctional enabler for all kinds of blue industries in SIDS and coastal countries, including the production of green hydrogen.
Ocean energy technologies are at different stages of readiness and a number of them have still not reached market adoption. Whereas offshore wind (bottom fixed and floating) and blue solar PV applications have reached industrial roll-out, other solutions are still at pre-commercial stage or lower levels of technology readiness.
Due to ambitious deployment and support programs in the Global North - particularly in Europe, US and Asia - it is projected that most of these technologies will become commercial during the next decade (e.g. wave, tidal). Therefore, SIDS have a particular window of opportunity to harness the benefits of ocean energy and decouple their society from expensive fossil fuel imports, substituting with domestically produced energy within their exclusive economic zones.
The High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, comprising 18 world leading ocean nations, has identified renewable energy from the ocean and the decarbonisation of the shipping sector, as ready-to-implement and viable ocean-based climate solutions, able to deliver up to 47% of the annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions needed by 2050 to keep the planet from warming to a catastrophic 2 degrees Celsius.
The GLOEA is jointly implemented by SIDS DOCK and UNIDO in close partnership with SIDS governments and the GN-SEC centres, particularly CCREEE, PCREEE, SACREEE, ECREEE and CEREEAC
- GLOEA Steering Committee
- GN-SEC Steering Committee
- Small Island Sustainable Energy and Climate Resilience Organisation (SIDS DOCK) of the AOSIS
- United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
- Government of Austria
- Various SIDS Governments in Africa, Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific
- Pacific Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (PCREEE) of the Pacific Community (SPC)
- Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
- SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE) of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
- ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
SDGS & Targets
Goal 7
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
7.1
By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
7.1.1
Proportion of population with access to electricity
7.1.2
Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology
7.2
7.2.1
Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption
7.3
7.3.1
Energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and GDP
7.a
7.a.1
International financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy research and development and renewable energy production, including in hybrid systems
7.b
By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and land-locked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support
7.b.1
Installed renewable energy-generating capacity in developing and developed countries (in watts per capita)
Goal 9
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
9.1
9.1.1
Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road
9.1.2
Passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport
9.2
Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries
9.2.1
Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita
9.2.2
Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment
9.3
9.3.1
Proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added
9.3.2
Proportion of small-scale industries with a loan or line of credit
9.4
By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
9.4.1
CO2 emission per unit of value added
9.5
9.5.1
Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP
9.5.2
Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants
9.a
9.a.1
Total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure
9.b
9.b.1
Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added
9.c
Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020
9.c.1
Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology
Goal 13
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
13.1
Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
13.1.1
Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
13.1.2
Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030
13.1.3
Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies
13.2
Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.2.1
Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
13.2.2
Total greenhouse gas emissions per year
13.3
Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
13.3.1
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment
13.a
Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible
13.a.1
Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025
13.b
Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
13.b.1
Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Goal 14
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
14.1
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
14.1.1
(a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density
14.2
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
14.2.1
Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas
14.3
Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
14.3.1
14.4
By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
14.4.1
14.5
By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
14.5.1
14.6
By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation
14.6.1
Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
14.7
By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
14.7.1
Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries
14.a
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
14.a.1
14.b
Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
14.b.1
Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries
14.c
Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"
14.c.1
Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources
SDG 14 targets covered
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| 14.2 | By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans |
| 14.3 | Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels |
| 14.7 | By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism |
Deliverables & Timeline
Submission of the UN Ocean commitment and a nexus paper to the UN Ocean Conference in 2017
Launch of the Global Ocean Energy Alliance (GLOEA) at the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon in 2022
Establishment of the GLOEA Secretariat at SIDS DOCK Headquarters in Belize
Integration of the GLOEA in the regional and SIDS-SIDS activities of the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centres (GN-SEC).
Signing of MOUs and agreements with private sector on ocean energy technology project in SIDS
Implementation of a global portfolio of ocean energy technology projects in SIDS
Resources mobilized
Partnership Progress
Feedback
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Timeline
Entity
Region
- Latin America and the Caribbean
- Asia and Pacific
- Africa
Geographical coverage
Other beneficiaries
- SIDS ministries of energy, climate change and blue economy
- Utilities, regulators and exclusive economic zones
- Independent power producers
- Costal and marine industries
Ocean Basins
Communities of Ocean Action
Photos
More information
Countries
SIDS regions
- Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea
- Caribbean
- Pacific
- Other (including Global)
Samoa pathway priority area
- Climate Change
- Sustainable Energy
- Disaster Risk Reduction
- Oceans and Seas
- Food Security and Nutrition
- Sustainable Transport
- Invasive Alien Species
- Means of Implementation, including Partnerships
- SIDS Priorities for the post-2015 Development Agenda
Headquarters
Contact Information
Mr. Martin Lugmayr (UNIDO) and Mr. Albert Binger (SIDS DOCK)