COP28: Premier Tagelagi promotes OCCs at the launch of the Blue Pacific Prosperity

Yesterday was the fourth day for the UN climate change 28th session conference of the parties COP28 in Dubai. 

Premier Hon. Dalton Tagelagi together with some of the leaders from the Pacific were able to launch the Blue Pacific Prosperity Plan yesterday afternoon. 

Premier Tagelagi delivered his statement highlighting specifically on the Niue Ocean Wide (NOW) Trust initiative the Ocean Conservation Commitments (OCCs). 

“This is something that we have been working on for the last eight years. We are very fortunate to have partners such as National Geographic Pristine Seas, Blue Nature Alliance, Oceans 5 and other big partners that have made it for us for this fund.” 

“In the implementation plan, we believe this works for us, a model that can be adopted by other small island states just like Niue,” says Premier Tagelagi.  

Unlocking the Blue Pacific Prosperity Plan was adopted and supported by Pacific leaders at the 52nd PIFS leaders meeting that took place in Cook Islands last month. The initiative is being championed by leaders from Tonga and Palau. 

According to the PIFS forum communique, the Blue Pacific Prosperity Plan “articulates goals of 100% effective ocean management for the region and 30% protection of the Blue Pacific COntinent, aligned to Pacific country contexts priorities, and capacities, robust food systems underpinned by resilient ecosystems resulting in healthy and productive Pacific people and a fit-for-purpose sustainable financing mechanisms that support the implementation of the 2050 Strategy.“ 

There were two successful commitments for funding support to this plan from partners including $100 million dollars from the Bezos Earth Fund and also $125 million dollars from Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The launch yesterday also saw Pacific leaders commending the efforts that Niue is contributing towards the Blue Pacific Prosperity Plan in its leadership through the OCCs. 

Niue delegation are also promoting the OCCs at COP28. In the past two days, NOW Vice President Avi Rubin and marine conservationist JinNam Hopotoa set up a small station in the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion promoting the Niue Ocean Wide Ocean Conservation Commitments. 

According to Avi Rubin, there has been a lot of keen interest and pledges made by COP28 participants who have visited their station. 

One of the successful sponsorships made in the past few days was by Miss Samoa Moemoana Safa’atoa Schwenke who is also at COP28. 

For more information on the NOW OCCs, visit the website https://niueoceanwide.com/