Fiji - Suva
The Urban Pathways Implementation Tracker is tracking the Projects Progress
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Fiji is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean consisting of 330 islands and 500 islets, out of which 110 islands are inhabited . The country lies 1,850 km north of Auckland, New Zealand; and 2,800 km north-east of Sydney, Australia. The total land area of Fiji is about 18,700 square kilometres bounded by a huge economic zone of ocean covering 1.3 million square kilometres. The country has a total population of 898,760 as at 2016 growing at an annual rate of 0.73%. The share of the urban population in 2016 was estimated to be 54% with an upward growth rate of 1.4%. Fiji’s capital, Suva, is the largest metropolitan area; and is located on the Viti Levu island which hosts about one third of the national population. Other large cities in Fiji include: Lautoka, Nadi, Labasa, Ba and Levuka. The country’s economic performance over the last decades has been oscillating due to global economic and financial shocks and natural disasters. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Fiji was projected at 4.7 Billion USD in 2016 with a growth rate of 0.3% and a GDP per capita of 5,233 USD. As a country whose economy has experienced unstable growth as a result of natural shocks possibly caused by climate change, Fiji has committed to promoting a sustainable development that inures to the general wellbeing of its citizens.
Energy: The Fiji National Energy Policy (2013-2020) provides a framework for the development of the energy sector in Fiji. The policy aims at improving access to affordable and reliable modern energy for all citizens; establishing environmentally sustainable systems in the energy supply chain of Fiji; and enhancing energy efficiency and use of domestic energy sources so as to reduce the cost of energy imports. In Fiji, electricity access is estimated to cover about 80% of the population. As illustrated earlier in this paper, electricity is generated largely from renewable sources with potentials for increasing this share. The transport sector as reported in the Fiji National Energy Policy, consumes the chunk of imported fossil fuels into the country. The Policy in this regard advocates for alternative cleaner sources of fuel such as biofuel, electricity and gas to power the transport sector. Energy governance in Fiji, according to the Energy Policy, is complex and made up of several institutions and agencies who play varied roles and responsibilities ranging from generation, transportation, distribution, regulation and setting of tariffs. Grid-based electricity in Fiji is provided by the Fiji Electricity Authority which is a vertically integrated state-owned institution. Other energy sector players include: The Ministry of Works, Transport, and Public Utilities; the Ministry of Tourism and Public Enterprises; the Ministry of Finance and National Planning; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; the Fiji Commerce Commission; and the Land Transport Authority. Private sector involvement in the energy sector in Fiji is limited; as such the Energy Policy encourages private investments into large-scale electricity generation and small-scale grid-connected renewable electricity generation. Transport Fiji’s first national household travel survey conducted in 2015 revealed that 53% of all recorded trips were made entirely on foot, whilst trips made by public transport (using buses and mini-buses) accounted for 17%, private vehicle 17%, and taxi 6%. Other modes used by respondents include horses and boats. These figures suggest that road transport remains the most dominant motorized transport mode in Fiji. It is interesting to note that unlike the national figures which showed greater share (53%) for non-motorised transport (walking), urban areas in Fiji such as Suva, rather recorded greater use (63%) for motorized transport. In Suva, for instance, public transport provided by buses, mini-buses and taxis forms an integral part of the city’s transport system with bus services being the most used. The buses are reported in the Greater Suva Transportation Strategy, as old-aged vehicles which are noisy and emit substantial emissions that are environmentally detrimental to city dwellers. Like many other developing countries, Fiji is experiencing increasing vehicle ownership with a 43% increase in vehicle registration from 2002 to 2012. The road transport sector in Fiji is under the oversight of the Fiji Road Authority which was established in 2012 by a Government Decree. The Authority has the responsibility to develop all roads used for public transport as well as public jetties. Other stakeholder institutions relevant for the overall development of the transport sector in Fiji include: The Ministry of Finance; the Ministry of Works, Transport and Public Utilities; and the Ministry of Local Government, Urban Development, Housing and Environment. Waste management In Fiji, guidelines for solid waste management are stipulated in the country’s National Solid Waste Management Strategy (2011– 2014). The policy strategy focused on building communities that are informed, responsible and committed to sustainably manage solid waste. The goal of this policy is to “increase the proportion of solid waste that is managed in a cost effective, financially sustainable, legally-compliant and environmentally sound manner”. The responsibility of solid waste management lies with the various city and town councils which are expected to deliver waste services within their respective jurisdictions. The City Council manages the collection, transportation and disposal of refuse generated at the household and institutional levels. At the national level, the Department of Environment under the Ministry of Local Government, Urban Development, Housing and Environment plays control and guidance roles in the management of waste and pollution. Apart from this department, there are other institutions which are legally mandated to exercise some responsibilities in managing waste; these include: the Central Board of Health (CBH), under the Ministry of Health whose responsibility is to collect, treat, and dispose biomedical waste; and a host of private sector contractors who are engaged in waste collection and transportation as well as management of landfill site. |
Action Plans
The Action Plans summarise key on-going initiatives and identify opportunities for further action with a focus on cross-sectoral synergies and policy interactions between the local and national level. Steps to Actions - Mobility in Fiji Action 1: Pedestrian Zones Action 2: Dedicated Bus lane Action 3: Electric Taxis Action 4: Electric Two-wheeler Action 5: Car-Pooling Action 6: Electric Bike-Sharing |