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Doing Our Fairshare: New Zealand’s Responsibility to Provide Climate Finance Report

Two new reports reveal how New Zealand can meet its climate finance obligations ahead of COP29.

Auckland, New Zealand –Humanitarian agencies World Vision New Zealand and Oxfam Aotearoa, alongside the New Zealand Climate Action Network (NZCAN), have released two important climate finance reports today.

These reports are published during the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga and ahead of the United Nations climate change conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, where the New Zealand government will be participating in negotiations on climate finance to fund climate change adaptation and mitigation measures

Doing Our Fair Share: New Zealand’s Responsibility to Provide Climate Finance, is published today by World Vision New Zealand and Oxfam Aotearoa.

“Our report highlights New Zealand’s responsibility to bolster its climate finance support for communities on the frontlines of climate change in the Pacific” says co-author, World Vision’s Advocacy Policy and Research Advisor, Dr Olivia Yates.

“As climate change intensifies, those communities least responsible are paying the highest price. Children and their families who are facing the most severe impacts often live in poverty, unable to afford the necessary tools to switch to greener, more climate-resilient livelihoods and prepare for future unprecedented extreme weather,” she says.

Co-Author, Oxfam Aotearoa’s Climate Justice Lead Dr Nick Henry says “New Zealand’s climate finance is helping to build resilience for Pacific communities on the frontlines of climate change. The need for support will only increase in the coming years and New Zealand should continue to stand with the Pacific and be ready to contribute our fair share.”

The report reveals that to meet its fair share of climate finance, New Zealand should be contributing between 0.38% and 0.66% of the global climate goal, which currently equates to between NZ$558 million and NZ$953 million each year, based on our gross national income (GNI) and historic greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, New Zealand is only fulfilling 34% to 58% of this target.

The report shows that, although New Zealand’s climate finance falls short by over NZ$200 million, its funding has been steadily increasing. In the next funding round (2026-2030), New Zealand has a fresh opportunity to show global leadership by committing to provide a fair share of climate finance.

Dr Olivia Yates hopes the report will encourage the government to take seriously the need for ambitious climate finance in its upcoming climate finance decisions. 

“While all countries must act on climate change, higher-income countries like New Zealand should pay their ‘fair share’ of the bill for climate action, based on their higher historical emissions and financial capability.”

Climate finance involves funding to support lower-income countries to cover the costs of shifting to greener systems, adapting to our warming world, and dealing with losses and damages from extreme weather – all vital for a response to climate change that leaves no one behind.

‘Seizing the Moment: A New Climate Finance Goal That Delivers for the Pacific’, by Climate Action Networks (CAN) in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, calls on the New Zealand Government to stand with the Pacific and commit to new funding aligned with a stronger global goal on climate finance, known as the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG), to be set at COP29 this November.

The NCQG is set to replace the prior US$100 billion (NZ$146 billion) annual global goal, a promise made by higher-income nations in 2010 to provide at least US$100 billion annually for climate change adaptation and mitigation each year.

Dr Nick Henry, Climate Justice Lead at Oxfam Aotearoa and co-author on the CAN report, says that funding to-date has been far from fair.

“The previous $100 billion goal was largely met in 2022 through loans and redirected development assistance, exacerbating debt burdens in lower-income countries. Countries on the frontlines of climate change now spend more paying debts than they receive in aid.”

The CAN report calls for a global target of at least US$1 trillion per year (NZ$1.46 trillion), prioritising grants over loans, to adequately support those hit hardest by climate change.

“At COP29, New Zealand has an opportunity to stand with the Pacific and advocate for a stronger, fairer climate finance target,” he says.

“New Zealand should commit to its fair share of the refreshed global goal, retaining its emphasis on grants instead of loans, and in addition to current aid efforts, to show enduring support, leadership, and a commitment to equity.”

As COP29 approaches, New Zealand has the opportunity—and the responsibility—to increase its fair share of climate finance and stand with the Pacific to ensure a fairer and more sustainable future for people most affected by climate change. Countries on the frontlines are urging global action, and New Zealand must rise to the challenge.

Note to Editors:

New Zealand’s fair share of climate finance has been calculated by looking at the country’s share of responsibility for climate change (based on the country’s cumulative emissions of greenhouse gases since 1992 and since 1850) and its ability to pay (according to its Gross National Income) relative to other higher-income (“Annex II”) countries.

Media Contact:

For a copy of the report, or to arrange interviews, please contact: Rachel Schaevitz – rachel.schaevitz@oxfam.org.nz or 027 959 5555 Ashley Miln – Ashley.miln@worldvision.org.nz or 020-4051-3769 Kirsty Jones – Kirsty.jones@worldvision.org.nz or (09) 580 7753

Amitabh Behar named Oxfam International’s Executive Director

Oxfam International is pleased to announce the appointment of Amitabh Behar as its new Executive Director. Behar is a respected global civil society leader, with three decades of experience and extensive work on human rights, economic inequalities, governance accountability, philanthropy, democracy and social justice. He was selected following a competitive recruitment process.

Behar joined Oxfam in April 2018 as the Chief Executive of Oxfam India. More recently, he served as Oxfam International’s Interim Executive Director.

“Behar is a thoughtful and creative feminist leader, with an in-depth understanding of the causes and complexities of poverty, inequality, discrimination and suffering. We are confident in his ability to convene our confederation, alongside our partners, to deliver our vision for a just and equal world,” said Dr. Aruna Rao, the Chair of the Oxfam International Board of Directors.

Behar said: “I embark on this new chapter acutely aware of the global and interconnected challenges we face in our world today. We require urgent action built on new solidarities, new imaginations, and new dreams to deliver a more equal and sustainable future for all.

“Oxfam carries a rich legacy rooted in working with communities while advocating for systemic change. I am eager to channel our collective energies, boldness, resources, and partnerships in support of peoples’ power for the good of majority of the global population.”

Behar has made valuable contributions to Oxfam’s transformation of its own confederation, decolonizing its decision-making and strengthening its collective structure and policies. He has been widely recognized for his work on people-centric advocacy, governance accountability, social and economic equality, and citizen participation.

Prior to Oxfam, Behar was Executive Director of the National Foundation for India and Co-Chair of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty. He has also served as the Vice-Chair of the Board of CIVICUS and the Chair of Navsarjan (Ahmedabad) and President of Yuva in Mumbai. He currently serves on the boards of several other organizations, including the Global Fund for Community Foundation and the Norwegian Human Rights Fund.

Contact: Rachel Schaevitz, rachel.schaevitz@oxfam.org.nz

Youth Challenge Vanuatu launches E-learning pilot to support youth during disasters and beyond

It is a familiar conundrum around the world during the coronavirus pandemic – students crammed into home offices or at the kitchen table, adapting to the strange new reality of learning online and communicating with classmates and teachers solely through a screen.

For many young students in Vanuatu, getting an education online is an unfeasible or unaffordable luxury. But with the help of generous donors, Upskill People and Digicel, and supported by Oxfam, Youth Challenge Vanuatu (YCV) is helping young people in the island country to take their learning online. 

The pilot programme, launched in May, provided students with free mobile data, access to computers at the training centre, and free online courses. The aim of the pilot was to find ways to improve flexibility and accessibility for young people wanting to gain new skills and knowledge. This will be especially useful in the aftermath of a  natural disaster, when classroom learning is not an option.

Youth Challenge Vanuatu student Glenda Mass uses the e-learning platform from Upskill. Photo: Lillyrose Welwel/Youth Challenge Vanuatu

Upskill People, a UK-based company who create and deliver online learning courses for businesses and individuals, were fundamental in the experiment. For the pilot they provided free access to five courses from their library, all of which had online quizzes. Courses included food sales and service, food hygiene, and understanding depression. With this generous donation, Youth Challenge Vanuatu and its pilot students could identify challenges and opportunities for making more online learning available from people’s phones or home computers in the future.

In total, 47 students participated in the first pilot programme delivered by Youth Challenge Vanuatu. Selected students were given free access to online training resources for an eight-week trial period. They could then log in to their personal Upskill People online account and study anytime, anywhere and on any device. Digicel’s contribution of free internet data meant the students could stream online videos and other training content from their personal phones or tablets.

Youth Challenge Vanuatu student Glenda Mass uses the e-learning platform from Upskill. Photo: Lillyrose Welwel/Youth Challenge Vanuatu

Youth Challenge Vanuatu student Glenda Mass uses the e-learning platform from Upskill. Photo: Lillyrose Welwel / Youth Challenge Vanuatu 

Data from the pilot showed it was a great success:

 

·       100% said they learned skills they could use

·       96% found the course easy to use

·       100% said the enjoyed learning in this way

 

"A really useful course, I learned new ways and words as I went along, I'd like to do more"
E-learning pilot participant
"The course helped me to understand how to talk with a customer and improve my selling skills, thank you"
E-learning pilot participant
"Learning about depression means I now know I can help myself, a friend or family member"
E-learning pilot participant
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It is clear there is a lot of potential in this new approach for YCV. The organisation currently provides a suite of courses and assistance for job-seeking, employment and life skills, and entrepreneurship to disadvantaged youth, with life-changing results. By using a well-curated menu of online resources, more students can access  training, with more flexibility via a mix of taught and self-paced options, and students can take greater control of their own learning pace. Armed with the learnings of this initial pilot, YCV is moving forward in the hope that more ni-Vanuatu youth will soon be able to sign up for further online learning journeys.


Oxfam has been working with YCV for over ten years to improve access to life-changing training and courses for Vanuatu youth. This pilot took place as part of a five-year project to lift the quality of YCV’s training and mentoring and the sustainability of this unique organisation, funded by Oxfam and the New Zealand Aid Programme.

Oxfam coordinates response to tropical cyclone Harold

Oxfam teams in the Pacific are working with partner agencies and governments in Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, to plan a response to Tropical Cyclone Harold.

The Category 5 cyclone, made landfall in Santo and Malo islands in Vanuatu’s northern Sanma Province this morning local time and the slow-moving storm is now moving into the Penama and Malampa Provinces. The three provinces have a population of 127,000 people, many of whom are considered high risk as their very livelihoods depend on their food and vegetable gardens. 

Heavy rainfall and gale force winds are expected to cause damages to homes, buildings and flooding to low lying areas and river banks.

Oxfam in Vanuatu’s Country Director, Elizabeth Faerua reported that teams are on standby as the country braces for the impact of what is believed to be one of the worse storms since Tropical Cyclone Pam in 2015 devastated the country.

“There are reports of damaging gale force winds, heavy rainfall and flooding in low lying areas of Luganville, the second largest town in Vanuatu, and the power lines and communications lines in the north are currently down,” Mrs Faerua said. 

“We are collaborating with our local partners and working with the National Disaster Management Office, Provincial Governments and Area Councils to respond accordingly.” 

Oxfam will conduct a remote survey across all the provinces to better assess and identify a suitable response to support income and livelihoods of vulnerable households across Vanuatu.

Since Cyclone Harold’s departure from the Solomon Islands a day ago, the response in that country has been immediate, with local and international organisations responding to Government’s call for assistance.

This has been confirmed by Oxfam in Solomon Islands Country Director, Dolores Devesi, who has said our teams are already working along-side Government and sector committees in coordinating multi-agency assessments and responses.

The Oxfam Pacific team continues to engage at all levels; national and provincial governments, and with the communities, to coordinate thorough assessments on the ground, which will drive our response. 

 

Oxfam monitoring Cyclone Donna: latest news

UPDATE: 12:00pm 09/05/2017

An update has been sent out from Oxfam’s regional office in Vanuatu.

The worst affected people are those in the Torba province. Oxfam in Vanuatu have decided to partner with the Vanuatu Red Cross and distribute Oxfams’ hygiene kits and seeds to get crops going again.

A response focusing on the Shefa province could go ahead. If required, Oxfam could be able to provide or assist with the following:

  • Provision of clean water, hygiene kits, hygiene educatoin workshops and assistance with the rebuilding of water sources
  • Cash vouchers to ensure people have a means of getting food
  • Livelihood recovery support
  • Ensuring all community members are safe and have access to service, especially women, youth, people with disabilities and LGBTI+
  • Promoting equal decision making between women and men
  • Supporting our five local partners

UPDATE: 8:30am 09/05/2017

TC Donna has weakened to a Category 4 storm overnight.

It continued on its south-easterly path. The country’s capital, Port Vila, felt some affects although wasn’t majorly impacted.

According to Radio New Zealand, TC Donna is packing winds of around 265 kilometres per hour, and hospitals in Vanuatu are preparing to receive anyone who may have been injured during the cyclone.

UPDATE: 2:00pm 08/05/2017

TC Donna has been upgraded to a Category 5 storm. 

A cyclone warning is current in Sanma, Penama, Malampa and Shefa provinces.

Red alerts are current for Sanma and Malampa provinces, a yellow alert is current for Shefa province, and a blue alert is current for Tafea province. 

UPDATE: 1:00pm 08/05/2017

Late season Tropical Cyclone Donna is now a Category 4 storm. Heavy rain and strong winds are battering parts of the island nation.

TC Donna crossed Torres Island (population 800) in the Torba province as a Category 3 storm on Friday, gusting 203km/h winds.

Destructive winds are affecting Sanma, Penama and Malampa provinces, and Shefa province has been issued a yellow alert as heavy rainfall and damaging winds reach the area.

Some low-lying communities, including in the capital Port Vila, have been victim to severe flash-flooding.

A preliminary impact report from Oxfam in Vanuatu says that the northernmost Torba province is the most affected. Four islands in the province, Loh, Hui, Tegua and Toga, have been rapidly assessed and the initial findings are:

  • A significant number of houses are destroyed, and a majority are badly damaged
  • Almost everyone on Loh are in evacuation centres, which includes schools, a cave and a police station
  • On other islands, people were evacuated to strong houses
  • There is enough water for everyone, but it is likely contaminated
  • Of the communities contacted, all gardens were severly damaged
  • The food supply could be enough for two-three weeks
  • All toilet facilities have been destroyed
  • The health facility in Loh is functional
  • No injury or health issues reported

Currently, TC Donna is moving south over the ocean between Vanuatu and New Caledonia, and is expected to hit the south-east caost of New Caledonia tomorrow night at 6pm. However – the path of the system may change at any time.

Latest updates from Fiji’s Meteorological Service.

Thumbnail image: The current wind forecast map (GFS) showing Donna. Fiji east, New Caledonia south, Vanuatu south east of Donna. / Earth.nullschool.net

Shanine’s Poultry Farm

It’s not uncommon for children in Vanuatu to stop attending school at 10 years old – there are not enough secondary school places due to government budget constraints, and many families can’t afford the school fees. At whatever age these young people leave school, their job prospects are often very limited.

Oxfam has been partnering with Rural Training Centres (RTCs) and the Farm Support Association (FSA) in Vanuatu to give young people a chance at learning a variety of skills to make them employable, equip them to start their own businesses, and give them a good shot at earning an income.

Meet Shanine Natiang. She’s from Tanna, an island in southern Vanuatu. Her life was turned around in 2013 when she applied for the Vanuatu Young Farmers Development Course in the Napil Rural Training Centre.

Shanine’s primary level education was cut short when she fell extremely ill for several weeks. She eventually recovered enough to return to school, but decided against going back and to help her parents at home instead.

“I fell ill for some weeks so I did not want to go back to school after the illness had left me, I felt that I wasn’t learning much at school and it was a waste of time, so I chose to stay at home and help look after my younger siblings”.

In 2013, after some encouragement from her father, she applied for the Vanuatu Young Farmers Development Course and was accepted. She received training in horticulture and livestock management and learned the most effective way to produce sustainable and fruitful crops in her local environment. During the course she also gained valuable gardening skills in crop conservation, garden restoration and maintenance, and landscape garden design.

Poultry farming on Tanna is an increasingly popular small-scale business, and a lot of Shanine’s training involved learning how to farm poultry effectively to get the best results. She put her skills to use and started her own poultry farming business to earn an income to support herself and her family. After her first year of training she received 40 chicks, chicken feed, wire mesh and two tarpaulins from the Farm Support Association (FSA). She maintained her poultry farm and made VT60,000 by selling each rooster for VT1,500.

Shanine’s story is a success. She learned how to effectively maintain a sustainable business, and the training programme utilised the resources available in Shanine’s environment, creating a business that works in her local context.

Shanine is now able to support herself and her family, whilst still saving some money.

“Not all of us can be smart in primary and secondary schools. I may not be good at formal school but I am good in farming and gardening. I can now combine what I learned as I grew up with what I’m learning in the trainings. I feel like I now have a positive future.”

“I am young but I am thinking more maturely than my friends. While some kids my age are just hanging in the gardens, I’m learning how to make money from it.”

Shanine has set her goal to become one of the successful female poultry farmers in her village. Now in her last year of training, other young people in Shanine’s village are seeing her tremendous progress and they are eager to join the program. 32 other young women and men are enrolled alongside Shanine at the Napil RTC, and from 2017, Vaiduhu RTC on Malo Island will also begin offering the Young Farmers Development Course.

“I can’t wait to graduate. FSA and the Napil RTC has supported me a lot, I will use the resources and skills I’ve gained to build a good future for myself and my family. I am on my way to being a successful farmer and have no doubts that I will be one of the best on Tanna”.

Since Cyclone Pam in 2015, Oxfam has been helping to rebuild classrooms and dormitories in RTCs on Tanna, Epi and Malekula Islands. Many families in Vanuatu struggle to keep their children in school as it’s too expensive, but many RTCs in Vanuatu accept in kind payment with kava, pigs or cows rather than regular fees so more families can afford it. Through the courses at the RTCs in Vanuatu, students can learn practical skills such as health and sanitation, home economics, small business management, legal rights, agriculture, mechanics and carpentry – all skills that can ensure a better, bright future for these young people.

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Oxfam is a worldwide development organisation that mobilises the power of people against injustice. Oxfam Aotearoa is a registered charity with the New Zealand Charities Register (registration CC24641). Donations are tax refundable.

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