Niue is a small Pacific Island Country located partway between Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands. The island is approximately 259 square kilometres with an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 300,000square kilometres and is reputedly one of the world’s largest elevated coral atolls. The average height above sea-level is 23 metres and highest point less than 70 metres. Niue is vulnerable to climate risks such as tropical cyclones and droughts; geological risks such as earthquakes and tsunami; and human-caused risks such as disease outbreaks and contamination of its only fresh water supply. Niue’s risk profile is also inherently linked to its isolation and limited capacity to manage and respond to disasters and climate change impacts.
NDC Target
Conditional (80.00%)
Unconditional (38.00%)
No further revisions were undertaken, and the same document was endorsed and submitted as the First Nationally Determined Contribution on 28 October 2016.
Niue's NDC target is in line with its resilience approach to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. In 2014, the renewable energy share was 2%.
This will in part be delivered by a 10% reduction in residential, commercial and government electricity demand by 2020.
Target Sector
Mitigation
Niue is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector.
Efforts to reduce GHG emissions in Niue adds value and compliments Niue’s focus on its vision to ‘build a sustainable future that meets our economic and social needs while preserving environmental integrity, social stability, and the Niue culture’.
Focusing on the energy sector will allow Niue to work towards achieving not only the NDC but also support towards the achievement of the Niue Strategic Energy Roadmap (NiSERM) 2016 – 2026 which highlights Niue’s issues, challenges and aspirations in the energy sector. The NiSERM outlines Niue’s aspirations to meet the 80% target of its electricity needs from renewable energy by 2025 which would in turn reduce the country’s high reliance on imported fossil fuel.
A 38% renewable energy contribution in 2020 would equate to a reduction of 364,000 litres of diesel per annum, or approximately 1.2 Gg CO2e per annum.
An 80% renewable energy contribution in 2020 would equate to a reduction of 977,000 litres of diesel per annum, or approximately 3.1 Gg CO2e per annum
The commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving high levels of electricity from renewables (from around 2% of the time the NiSERM and NDC was developed) is very ambitious and will need considerable contributions of financial and capacity support from our partners.
Adaptation
Niue has also referenced the Niue Joint National Action Plan (JNAP) for Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation in its NDC. This is the key guiding document for building resilience in Niue, aside from the Climate Change Policy 2009.
Through its commitments to building resilience, Niue’s JNAP strongly recognises the links between disaster risk management and climate change action. The JNAP has outlined 5 core goals all with the intention of building resilience in Niue:
Goal 1 – Strong and effective institutional basis for disaster risk reduction/climate change adaptation;
Goal 2 – Strong public awareness and improved understanding of the causes and effects of climate change, climate variability and disasters;
Goal 3 – Strengthened livelihoods, community resilience, natural resources and assets;
Goal 4 – Strengthened capacity to adapt renewable energy technologies, improve energy efficiency and energy security;
Goal 5 – Strengthened disaster preparedness for effective response.
Achievement of these Goals are through specific objectives and actions associated with these.
Target Year
Activity Implementation Year
Current Activity
The NDC Hub has received request from Niue for support towards the development of NDC database to enable reporting to UNFCCC.
Niue's NDC Journey
The Intended Nationally Determined Contribution for Niue was submitted in 2015.
The Nationally Determined Contribution for Niue was submitted in 2016.
The Enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution for Niue is expected to be submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat at the end of 2020.
Contact details in-country team
Haden Talagi
Director – Department of Environment
GEF Operational Focal Point
Ministry of Natural Resources
Government of Niue
E: [email protected]
Contact: +683 4011
The Regional Pacific NDC Hub is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of United Kingdom, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand.
