In Samoa, essential services are going green. Newly introduced electric trucks are now supporting fire emergency operations and oxygen delivery for the health sector, strengthening national service capacity while reducing emissions. By pairing low-emissions technology with critical public services, Samoa is showing how climate innovation can deliver immediate, tangible benefits to people.

This initiative was supported by the Climate Action Pathways for Island Transport project, which is part of the regional Pacific Green Transformation Project, funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by UNDP. The project supports Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu in their decarbonization journeys. In Samoa, the focus is on the transport sector - the country’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. By introducing electric mobility, the project aims to reduce dependence on costly fossil fuel imports, reduce air pollution, and model greener public service delivery.

To enable this transition, solar-powered charging stations have been installed, both for new service vehicles and to encourage wider adoption of electric mobility by the public. These stations help reduce emissions at the source by easing pressure on the country’s fragile grid, while the vehicles themselves produce no tailpipe emissions during operation.

Oxygen delivery: cleaner transport for patients’ lifeline

At the Ministry of Health, teams responsible for distributing medical oxygen are already seeing gains in efficiency. Senior Transport Officer John Solofua Tafa explains: “We used to only be able to fit five oxygen bottles on the truck. Now we can fit twenty. We can make more deliveries in each trip around the island and serve our communities better.”

Samoa relies on a single oxygen production site in Apia, supplying medical oxygen to the national hospital and district health centres. Nurses submit weekly requests, and the Ministry coordinates island-wide distribution - an essential service for patients with respiratory conditions, whether treated in facilities or at home.

The new electric truck is improving readiness during peak demand, especially during respiratory outbreaks. John Tusiupu, Principal Maintenance Officer, describes: “When a respiratory epidemic hits, like it did with COVID-19, requests increase sharply. This truck helps us prepare - we’ll be ready to deliver oxygen whenever and wherever it’s needed.”

This electric vehicle also brings important occupational safety benefits. Equipped with a built-in loading ramp, it eliminates the need for staff to manually lift heavy cylinders, a task that previously caused chronic back injuries.

Meanwhile, on the island of Savai’i, oxygen delivery still relies on a petrol-fueled vehicle commuting on the ferry, highlighting future opportunities to expand the green transformation.