Prime Minister James Marape has issued an emotive call to world leaders to take drastic actions to address climate change crisis that many countries in the pacific are facing the extreme effects of it.

At the World Leaders Climate Action Summit, Prime Minister Marape issued a stirring call for

world leaders to “act now and act responsibly,” stressing that for small island and forest

nations, the climate crisis is not theoretical but existential.

“For Papua New Guinea (PNG), climate adaptation and mitigation are not a choice — it is a matter of survival,” he told delegates.

He reaffirmed PNG’s commitment to Articles 5 and 6 of the Paris Agreement, which recognize the critical role of forests and carbon markets in tackling climate change. He emphasized that Papua New Guinea safeguards 35 million hectares of pristine rainforest — equivalent to 13% of the world’s tropical forests — alongside vast ocean ecosystems that sustain 7% of global biodiversity.

“Forests and oceans are our greatest allies — they preserve the air, regulate the climate, and sustain life on Earth,” he said.

Prime Minister Marape acknowledged the support from international partners including the United Nations, France, Australia, the Green Climate Fund, the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the Coalition for Rainforest Nations for advancing PNG’s conservation agenda. He also paid tribute to His Majesty King Charles III, President Xi Jinping, and UN Secretary General António Guterres for championing global efforts to protect forests and biodiversity.