Gazing over the horizon: Will an equitable Green Climate Fund allocation policy be significant for the Pacific post-2020?

The establishment of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) has increased expectations and optimism amongst developing countries, especially those that are particularly vulnerable to climate change. The GCF aims to channel a significant portion of global funds for climate change response, with a goal of reaching US$100 billion per year by 2020. Portrayed as a timely saviour to the climate finance needs of vulnerable countries, the allocation of GCF funds among countries will be key to low carbon and resilient futures. Its broad allocation policy increases the possibility that particularly vulnerable countries which have struggled to access international climate finance will continue to face such challenges. Adopting an equitable/fair principle of allocation, this article highlights a number of scenarios on the possible impact of the post-2020 climate financing environment on particularly vulnerable countries with a special focus on the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS). This study argues that PSIDS are extremely sensitive to GCF allocation mechanisms. While the study supports the notion of balanced allocation as currently advanced by the GCF, the precarious situation of PSIDS necessitates a re-think of how the GCF finance is to be allocated in the future

Towards an Effective Structure of IT Governance for Organizations in Developing Economies.

The pervasive use of IT is prominent amongst organizations in developing economies. However, there is growing evidence that these economies fail to capitalize on their IT investment to transform their organizations to be competitive both locally and globally. IT-related benefits are possible with appropriate governance of the IT-related resources, and we need to broaden our understanding on the IT governance mechanics suitable for organizations in the developing economies. In this study, we adopted an initial interpretive design to obtain a deeper understanding of the IT governance (ITG) environment and conceptions of the stakeholders on effective IT governance structures for the developing economies. We found that the presence of an IT Strategic Planning Committee, Multiple level of authority, and a Forum for informal discussions as the crucial components of an ITG structure in developing economies

Assessing Climate Finance Readiness in the Asia-Pacific Region

Readiness is the current mantra in the climate finance discourse and is a key determinant for accessing climate finance. This study develops and applies an analytical 3-dimensional framework to appraise climate finance readiness in selected Asia-Pacific countries. Three dimensions of readiness are identified: (1) Policies and Institutions, (2) Knowledge Management and Learning, and (3) Fiscal Policy Environment. Using the Climate Public Expenditure and Institutional Review as the basis for such framework, the study uncovers a massive readiness gap between countries in the Asian sub-region and those in the Pacific sub-region. The study also found that readiness has a predictable, yet small, impact on the magnitude of climate finance accessed. This suggests that improving readiness alone is not sufficient to unlock climate finance, as access to climate finance is to a larger extent determined by other factors; this is critical to shaping readiness endeavors for the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS), as well as for donors. This study argues for a re-think in the PSIDS current readiness approach, reducing emphasis on multilateral and private flows and diversifying through practical and uncomplicated bilateral and remittance sources. These two sources of finances have a good track record of consistently mobilizing external finance to PSIDS despite their climate finance readiness status. Broadening readiness efforts towards these two alternative funding sources extends the feasibility of the current readiness approach. The present direction of climate finance readiness offers a continuing access dilemma to many of the PSIDS, especially the poorest and most vulnerable

Thinking Outside the Box: Deepening Private Sector Investments in Fiji’s Nationally Determined Contributions through Scenario Analysis

Private finance is seen as the financing panacea for resourcing the nationally determined contributions (NDC) submitted by 170 countries to the United Nations (UN) system. Mobilizing private investment is challenging, especially for vulnerable Pacific Island Countries (PICs). Fifteen PICs have already submitted ambitious NDC targets, in which transition towards a sustainable energy environment through investment in renewable energy (RE) is central. Presently, RE investments in PICs are primarily external donor financed, however, reliance on limited and uncertain external finance is unlikely to deliver the required energy transition. A future scenario methodology was used, with Fiji as a case-study; the analysis provided insight into alternative trajectories towards transition. Based on the scenario analysis, an NDC resource mobilization framework was developed. Conclusions suggest that donors should re-orientate their priorities from investments in RE installations, towards investments that upgrade the current RE readiness levels and promote a long-term perspective of “organically growing” the local private RE sector. Channeling resources to target initiatives that will endogenously grow the domestic private sector is critical for PICs, as well as other developing countries, which represent a majority of the NDCs, and which are projected to dominate global growth in energy demand for decades to come

Turn-it-in: Turning off human judgement in detecting student plagiarism

Does zero percent similarity index in Turn-it-in indicate nil plagiarism? One would think so but our collective experience last semester with Turn-it-in indicates otherwise. While a useful tool in detecting plagiarism, solely relying on Turn-it-in can in fact increase of risk of undetected plagiarism and breed academic dishonesty. Turn-it-in is not perfect, it has its limitations, and with the number of IT savvy students we are dealing with today, they will find and exploit those limitations. This presentation will illustrate the dangers of over relying on Turn-it-in as the sole assessor for students’ submissions. Actual examples of methods used by students to “beat” Turn-it-in will be demonstrated. These methods will surprise many as these methods can generate a 0% similarity index for any document, even a document that is completely plagiarised. The presentation also provides recommendations and shares strategies and interventions developed to reduce student plagiarism

On Facilitating Regional Integration and Economic Development with Collaborative Technologies in the South Pacific

The current global economic instability and the vulnerability of small island nations are providing the impetus for greater integration between the countries of the South Pacific region. This exercise is critical for their survival in today’s turbulent economic environment. Past efforts of regional integration in the South Pacific have not been very successful. Reasons attributed to this outcome include issues related to damage of sovereignty, and lack of a shared integration infrastructure. Today, the IT resources with collaborative capacities provide the opportunity to develop a shared IT infrastructure to facilitate integration in the South Pacific. In an attempt to develop a model of regional integration with an IT-backed infrastructure, we identify and report on the antecedents of the current stage of regional integration, and the stakeholders’ perceived benefits of an IT resources backed regional integration in the South Pacific. Employing a case study based approach, the study finds that while most stakeholders were positive about the potential of IT-backed regional integration, significant challenges exist that hinder the realisation of this model. The study finds that facilitating IT-backed regional integration requires enabling IT infrastructure, equitable IT development in the region, greater awareness on the potential of the modern IT resources, market liberalisation of the information and telecommunications sector and greater political support for IT initiatives. Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/pajais/vol5/iss2/3

Digital financial services and household accounting in rural Fiji

A major priority of the Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) is to increase financial inclusion of rural peoples – i.e. provide rural dwellers with improved access to financial services. This issue is important because rural Fijians, who account for 49.2% of Fiji’s population, rely significantly on remittances from family and relatives working in urban areas or foreign countries. Indeed, these remittances may be the only source of income for some rural dwellers. Improving financial inclusion can reduce poverty and improve social welfare. While much has been written on financial inclusion in developed countries, scant literature exists regarding the success and efficacy of financial inclusion strategies in Pacific Islands Countries. This study contributes to the limited but growing literature on financial inclusion in the Pacific by examining rural dwellers’ perceptions of rural banking and Digital Financial Services in Fiji and identifying factors which enhance or impeded their uptake of these services. It will also examine how these services complement or substitute household accounting systems. The first stage of the study involved interviews with the Central Bank, Mobile Network Operators, Commercial Banks and other stakeholders. The second stage involves a survey and subsequent follow‐up interviews in rural areas of Vanua Levu. The findings may assist commercial banks and MNOs in designing DFS that better meet the needs of those living on Fiji’s outer margins. They may also inform government and the regulators on potential revisions to regulatory mechanisms for financial inclusion

Perceptions of Digital Financial Services in Rural Fiji

This article examines rural dwellers’ perceptions of digital financial services (DFS) to identify which factors may enhance or impede their adoption. The article is based on a survey and follow-up interviews in rural Fijian communities with relatively low income levels. In Fiji, DFS are provided by mobile network operators, either individually or in collaboration with commercial banks. The provision of these services is consistent with policies of the Fijian government and The Reserve Bank of Fiji, which advocate financial inclusion as a means of promoting economic growth and enabling citizens to more efficiently receive remittances and welfare payments. However, the survey findings indicate that DFS uptake is hindered by agents’ lack of liquidity and the implicit costs that agents impose on consumers. In addition, consumers tend to fully spend the funds received through mobile money, but fail to use their mobile phones for saving purposes

Demystifying climate finance impacts in small island developing states : Pacific women’s perspectives from Funafuti and Weno

The flow of climate finance to the Pacific region is increasing. Existing discourses of climate finance in the region tends to emphasise how Pacific island countries access finance from multiple sources. Assessing whether climate finance addresses gender inequality has received very little attention in the region despite the increased profile of vulnerability of Pacific women to the impacts of inequality and climate change impacts. This article seeks to address this gap. Using the talanoa research approach to draw out the ‘lived realities’ of women in Funafuti (Tuvalu) and Weno (the Federated States of Micronesia), this research attempts to demystify how Pacific women in communities perceive the impact of climate finance on their lives and livelihoods. The study finds that a high degree of disparity exists between climate finance discourse at a community level and at regional and national levels. Addressing this disparity is essential to ensure that concrete and transformative impacts of climate finance are experienced by the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in Pacific communities. The mantra of ‘leaving no one behind’ rings hollow should vulnerable women in rural and remote Pacific communities continue to feel excluded from the benefits of climate change efforts.peer-reviewe