PINA

The fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-4), is taking place from 23 to 29 April 2024 in Ottawa, Canada. This week, the Pacific Small Islands Developing States are preparing for the event through a series of meetings, both as PSIDS as well as...

Japan head coach Eddie Jones was part of the panel of selectors asked to select up to 30 players from the Pacific Challenge who would go for a camp under the PacAus Sports programmes. Jones has been in Samoa for just over a week, where he has been scouting for talent in the Pacific Challenge tournament. Speaking about the tournament, Jones...

Six Nations champions Ireland will open their Autumn Nations Series against New Zealand in a repeat of last year's World Cup quarter-final. Argentina, Fiji and Australia will also visit Dublin in November as Ireland look to build on back-to-back Six Nations crowns. Andy Farrell's side are aiming to exact revenge on the All Blacks after their heartbreaking 28-24 defeat at the...

Antigua and Barbuda diplomat in the United Nations, Tumasie Blair has emphasised the critical nature of the upcoming Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), labelling it as the ‘last chance ’to safeguard SIDS. In an interview this week on the sidelines of the 14th Session of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly in Abu Dhabi, Blair...

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are grappling with the challenge of adopting “appropriate” renewable energy technologies, even as they intensify efforts to transition towards renewable energy as part of their sustainable development and in response to climate change. Energy Minister for Dominic Vince Henderson, addressed a press briefing this week in Abu Dhabi, highlighting the complexities SIDS face in balancing...

After a relatively well-organised and peaceful day of voting in Solomon Islands, the electoral commission is working with donor partners to safely transport ballot boxes from polling stations all over the country to centrally located counting venues. It is a massive exercise with over 200 New Zealand Defence Force personnel providing logistical support across the 29,000 square kilometre sprawling island...

The President of the 14th IRENA Assembly and Rwanda Minister of Infrastructure, Jimmy Gasore, has recognised the historic progress achieved at COP28 through the UAE Consensus. Presiding over the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly Wednesday, Gasore emphasised the importance of transitioning away from fossil fuels in a just and equitable manner, along with the call to triple renewables and...

The Director General of IRENA, Francesco La Camera has told the opening session of the 14th International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly in Abu Dhabi that countries must transition away from fossil fuels. “COP 28 has delivered this message clearly, recognising the imperative of tripling renewables and doubling efficiency by 2030, while transitioning away from fossil fuels. “Let me recognise the...

A new report released Wednesday by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), highlights the shift towards renewable energy as a means to bolster energy independence. It emphasises that while traditional geopolitical factors like market manipulation and infrastructure disruptions still matter, their influence is likely to decrease in a renewable energy-focused context. The report suggests that transitioning to electrification and increasing reliance...

The Global Renewables Alliance (GRA) has called on the world to expedite the delivery of renewable energy, in line with the commitments made at COP28 last year, which aimed to triple global renewable capacity to over 11,000 gigawatts. This week the ‘Global Time for Action’ campaign was launched on the sidelines of the 14th International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly...