Island Nation on the Front Lines of Climate Change Partners with
GridMarket and Island Resilience Partnership to Implement Strategic
Energy Initiative
DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–lt;a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/UN?src=hash” target=”_blank”gt;#UNlt;/agt;–At the inaugural Island Resilience Forum hosted by EarthX, the
Independent State of Samoa announced its intent to transition to clean,
resilient energy generation. The IRF is the official platform of the
Island Resilience Partnership, a public-private partnership designed to
help small-island developing states achieve the United Nations’
Sustainable Development Goals like Samoa, an island in the South Pacific
that is especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. As
detailed in the executed memorandum of understanding, Samoa will work
with partners GridMarket and the Island Resilience Partnership to
transition to a low-cost, carbon-free energy future.
“The EarthX mission is to connect government and businesses to help
bring about solutions that will have positive impacts for the planet, in
this case, for Samoa,” said Tony Keane, chief executive officer of
EarthX. “We can have all the good ideas in the world, but we also need
to shepherd them and convene the right parties to help them come to
fruition so we can take steps now for the betterment of our future.”
“We’re honored to be the chosen vehicle for the Independent State of
Samoa’s national transformation,” said Nick Davis, CEO of
GridMarket. “By expanding renewable energy integration, further
decentralizing the grid, increasing distributed energy storage capacity,
and driving additional operating cost reductions through leading-edge
technology, Samoa’s new energy economy will experience sustained growth
and strengthened resiliency in the face of natural disasters.”
EarthX brought together island leaders and champions from the U.N. and
around the world at the Island Resilience Forum on Saturday, April 27.
The IRF focused on the development of strategic national energy roadmaps
and actionable, fundable projects like Samoa’s. The inaugural meeting
brought together United Nations’ Ambassadors from Vanuatu, Tuvalu,
Solomon Islands, Kingdom of Tonga, the Independent State of Samoa, and a
delegation from Sint Maarten, led by the Minister of Justice overseeing
national recovery and resilience. Other speakers included leading ocean
conservationists, philanthropic champions, scientists, academic leaders,
visionary filmmakers, and environmental organizations from around the
globe. Attendees of the forum heard compelling calls to action and
deployable solutions directly impacting the world’s most vulnerable
populations.
“Our partnership agreement with the Independent State of Samoa
reinforces the guiding principle of EarthX: action-oriented impact,”
said Matt Tranchin, Executive Director of the Island Resilience
Partnership. “Part of its founder’s original vision was to create a
platform that could tangibly impact those communities on the front lines
of climate change – and this is evidence of its influence on a global
level.”
In addition to the Island Resilience Forum presented by EarthxOcean, the
ninth annual EarthX included three days of exhibitions, a film
festival, music, entertainment, learning experiences, discussions,
forums, and conferences making it, once again, the world’s largest
gathering to positively discuss achievable solutions for environmental
change. This year, the event attracted more than 175,000 people
interested in creating a sustainable world for all living things, and a
healthier planet for future generations.
ABOUT EarthX
EarthX
convenes the world’s largest environmental expo, conference and film
festival. Founded in 2011 as Earth Day Dallas by environmentalist and
businessman Trammell S. Crow, the Texas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization promotes environmental awareness and impact through
conscious business, nonpartisan collaboration and community-driven
sustainable solutions. In 2019, the event drew over 175,000 attendees,
2,000 environmental leaders, exhibitors and 400 speakers. Earthx2020
will be held April 24 – 26, 2020 in Dallas. Visit www.EarthX.org.
EarthX is on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @earthxorg.
Contacts
Karen Fleig, EarthX
[email protected]
214-207-9221
Ariel Herr for EarthX
[email protected]
469-235-2708
