Suva, Fiji, 24 March 2017 (IUCN) – The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Oceania Regional Office launched its 2017 Call for Proposals for its Energy Small Grants Programme this week. Applications for funding will remain open until 1 June 2017.
IUCN Oceania’s Energy, Ecosystems and Sustainable Livelihoods Initiative (EESLI) has been funding renewable energy and energy efficiency development in 14 Pacific Island Countries through a multilateral agreement with the Governments of Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain since 2008.
The Energy Small Grants Programme will provide funding of up to US$20,000 for renewable energy & energy efficiency based projects in any of the participating countries, which currently include Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
IUCN Oceania extends an invitation to communities, civil society organisations, and private enterprises seeking to safeguard biodiversity and create nature-based solutions to pressing development issues throughout the Oceania region to ensure a better future for all to apply for this fund.
Projects must demonstrate a particular focus on renewable energy systems, energy efficiency improvements, and sustainable land & sea transport initiatives. These priority areas should be coupled with strong linkages to biodiversity/ecosystem conservation. Cross-cutting impacts upon other sectors will be taken into account, such as the inclusion of marginalised groups; women, children, disabled persons, and the elderly, or positive benefits for other sectors such as gender equality, health, education, food and water security, and disaster resilience.