Policy Updates

On November 16, 2024, the Australian government announced a partnership with Pacific nations to scale up energy grid transition, and improve energy security with a AUD125 million (US$82 million) investment in renewable energy at COP29..

Australia announced an AUD75 million (US$50 million) investment through the REnew Pacific program to help deliver community scale renewable energy and off-grid power to rural and remote areas in the Pacific.

A further AUD50 million (US$32 million) was pledged through the APPET in order to provide technical assistance which included feasibility studies, energy modelling, and grid studies.

Funding for APPET was being made available by repurposing funds previously allocated to the IPCOS by the former Australian Government.

On November 15, 2024, Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy announced that Australia would fund a new climate program to combine ODA with private capital to accelerate climate action at COP29.

Conroy noted that this would boost climate-focused efforts by businesses in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific.

The AUD126 million (US$83 million) package would assist de-risking climate solutions to attract investors from the private sector.

Equity, loans, and guarantees would be used, and funds recovered will be reinvested. The package would also provide technical assistance in project analysis and impact measurement.

On November 8, 2024, Austrailian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong has announced AUD10 million (US$7 million) in financing for an Innovative Indo-Pacific NGO Accelerator.

The funds would be provided to assist NGOs in increasing the scale of their initiatives to promote climate resilience and gender equality. It would have a particular focus on the Pacific.

Wong noted that NGOs have been leaders in areas such as micro-finance, impact investment, and impact bonds. Wong said the Accelerator would assist NGOs in expanding their impact by overcoming structural barriers.

Australia has taken an increasing role in assisting blended finance activities since 2022.

On November 6, 2024, following extensive public consultation, the advisory board to the MRFF, the Australian government fund which has dispersed over AUD650 million (US$438 million) annually on health research funding, published its medical research and innovation priorities for 2024-2026.

The MRFF's priorities have mostly focused on domestic health research, however, one of the announced new priority areas are global health and health security. Overall, there were 12 priority areas.

The global health priority included a focus on zoonotic diseases, pandemics and AMR. The fund should align with international capabilities and efforts. Its aim would be to improve health system resilience in the face of emerging threats to health security. MRFF investments would allow Australia to provide leadership and expertise in the face of public health events that threatened health across borders between countries.

Areas of interest would include preparedness, surveillance and countermeasures focused on both emerging and already identified health threats. The strategy indicated this would be best supported through collaborative multidisciplinary research, including on the impact of AMR on human health.

On October 29, 2024, Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has joined other countries in condemning Israel’s banning of the UNRWA.

The planned legislation seeks to ban the organization from conducting any form of activity or providing any service inside Israel, as well as deeming the UNRWA a terror organization. Wong emphasized the life saving work of UNWRA.

On October 25, 2024, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced that Australia would contribute AUD10 million (US$7 million) for humanitarian relief in Lebanon.

This would assist provision of health care, shelter, and food. The assistance will be delivered through partner organizations.

This brought Australia’s contribution for relief in Gaza and Lebanon to AUD95 million (US$63 million).

Save the Children Australia’s Melanie Book commented that Australia should have provided AUD20 million (US$13 million) to be more in line with other donors.

On October, 24, 2024, Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy has announced AUD12 million (US$8 million) for research to assist African countries address food insecurity and adapt to climate change.

The new initiative is called the Africa-Australia Partnership for Climate Responsive Agriculture.

The ACIAR would deliver this assistance through bilateral projects over 6 years. This would be undertaken in partnership with local research organizations. It would also enable ACIAR to broaden its focus to north and western Africa.

On October, 23, 2024, the Lowy Institute has proposed that an Indo-Pacific Economic Resilience Bank should be established.

Institute staff Michelle Lyons, Roland Rajah, Grace Stanhope proposed this would accelerate economic growth, help diversify access to key minerals and help make supply chains greener.

The Lowy publication examined the prospects of funding such development through multilateral development banks, DFIs, and Bilateral ECAs.

The proposed bank would accelerate the pace of such projects, and achieve benefits for developing and developed countries. It would initially focus on the Asia Pacific and enable improved and more transparent governance of project financing.

On October 16, 2024, Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy launched a new policy for Australian humanitarian action.

Conroy said the policy would focus on three priority areas:

• Enhancing preparedness with international partners;
• Responding to disasters and crises by delivering support to affected populations, and provide protection for the most vulnerable with a focus on both immediate and long term needs; and
• Providing reinforcement to the international humanitarian system and take steps to improve adherence to international humanitarian law.

The policy maintained Australia’s overall focus on the Indo-Pacific region.

On October 9, 2024, Australia announced that it is providing AUD9 million (US$6 million) to the Regional Pacific NDC Hub.

Led by Pacific countries, the Hub provides expertise and resources that Pacific nations require to meet their commitments under the Paris Agreement. Through the Hub, the 14 Pacific Island countries can access support for low-emission development, emissions reporting and investment planning. The Hub has been in operation since 2017.

The funds will be provided to the South Pacific Community through an agreement with the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.