<< More about the Community Lifelines Programme

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• Past Intervention
• Current Issues for Niue
• Programme Response

The effective social and economic development of Pacific Communities is dependent on three essential inputs, namely energy, water and information and communication technologies. The Community lifelines programme is aimed at improving the Pacific Communities access to these essential inputs.

To assist in achieving this in Niue, SOPAC has provided assistance in the past to specific requests and recently through general regional initiatives. A summary of some of these activities and initiatives are provided below.

Past Intervention

SOPAC intervention in Niue's since their joining SOPAC has been specific to the island nation to meet their needs. These interventions have been:

• the introduction of solar photovoltaic for water pumping;
• wind energy resource assessment;
• wind power feasibility study that evaluates the proposal to introduce wind power into Niue's generation mix to supplementing the totally diesel oil (fossil fuel) based electricity generation;
• assistance with water pipe detection surveys and provision of training in the use of Mapinfo;
• the creation of a water utility information system and development of a water resource database that will assist in demonstrating the linkages to health statistics.

Current Issues for Niue

Within the context of the three pillars of sustainable development there are a number of critical issues that have been identified by Niue in documenting its position both through national and regional mechanisms. Many of these issues are critical in relation to achieving Niue?s longer-term vision and fall within the work programme component areas of the Community Lifelines Programme. In terms of the three globally recognised pillars of sustainability, namely the environment, economic and social, the relevant identified key issues and concerns are summarised below.

Environmental:

• limited baseline data;
• increased dependence on freshwater lens following abandonment of water catchments system and need to avoid salt-water intrusion due to over-pumping and lack of knowledge of safe extraction rates;
• maintenance of sufficient, high quality water supply continues to be a key concern and training in water quality management and loss reduction through leakage and wastage required;
• need for quality testing and chemical analysis of Niue?s underground water, as this vital resource is prone to contamination from land based activities, animal, household, solid waste and other waste seepage through to the freshwater lens;
• management plans for sewage and organic waste are needed;
• encourage use of rain catchments systems in villages and household back up tanks;
• need for comprehensive management of land, water and air pollution / waste including the development of waste and sewerage disposal systems;
• lack of up-to-date information for local communities to make land based resource management decisions i.e. logging;
• community / habitat mapping and the need to network the GIS system to other critical sectors;
• the supply and use of energy, there is a clear need to increase efficiency and improve maintenance of diesel generators as well as encourage the use of renewable energy options, low energy rate appliances, and energy saving light bulbs.

Economic:

• Population decline is a major issue for Niue. It is a cross cutting development concern and while reducing pressure on natural resources, represents a constraint to the infrastructure and capacity necessary for sustainable development;
• a continuous need to upgrade both technologically and skills through training and capacity building.

Social:

• Lack of understanding within communities on how to sustainably manage their resources;
• Insufficient monitoring.

Programme Response

The critical issues of concerns for Niue requires a pragmatic approach from their sustainable development partners such as SOPAC to effectively meet the needs of Niue as a whole. The Community Lifelines programme has the following initiatives and activities in place to effectively address these issues:

• the continual assessment of wind development and energy resource, the provision of technical assistance and training of staff for this, and the provision and maintenance of a database which will assist in decision making and capacity building of concerned and relevant human resource;
• the development of energy resources that incorporates new and related technology which improves the communities access to energy, community awareness of this resources and it's proper management that ensures sustainability;
• the development of cost effective and suitable technology such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing on spatial data for the region for accessibility by relevant stakeholders, in the region as well as internationally, the development of intranet and internet technologies, relevant support to the government departments concerned and ensuring that data available is accurate;
• the provision of technical advice on water and sanitation in the region, its proper management and awareness of waste management; the development of strategies that will reduce member islands vulnerability to drought;
• the review of existing policy and legislation in water, energy and relevant information and communication technologies that relate to SOPAC work programmes; representation of Pacific Concerns at global forums and the coordination of regional action plans in these areas.

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