Officials from Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Australia recently held the annual PNG-Australia Annual Climate Change Dialogue in Port Moresby to advance priority actions under the PNG-Australia bilateral partnership.
The dialogue was also a first commitment under the PNG-Australia-Climate Change Action Plan (PACCAP); a joint Ministerial Agreement between PNG and Australia signed in May 2018 for both countries to work together to address climate change in PNG and in the region.
The one-day dialogue was led by Special Climate Envoy Mr. Ruel Yamuna and Climate Change Ambassador for Australia, Ms. Kristin Tilley, setting key priorities for both countries. Key priorities from the dialogue includes; Advancing PNG-Australia Climate Change Action Plan for the next five years, climate finance, carbon market participation, international climate partnerships and additional collaboration.
Under climate finance, Australia in consultation with PNG stakeholders, will finalize the design of a Climate Finance Resource and Strategic Taskforce to assist PNG to strengthen its system to access climate finance, support development of financial proposals in line with the country’s climate action plans.
Australia will also continue to support the development and implementation of projects in PNG’s renewable energy sector and strengthen PNG’s prospects for attracting finance for projects which contributes to PNG’s climate mitigation targets.
Australia will also be assisting PNG to build expertise around the operation of carbon markets and requirements for high-integrity practices under Article 6.2 of the Paris (International Climate) Agreement. Furthermore, Australia will provide the technical support to support the IPCOS Working Committee in the delivery of systems and strengthening of institutional capacity to implement the IPCOS.
The IPCOS is an initiative that aims to promote sustainability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Indo-Pacific region through a market-based approach. Climate Change and Development authority’s (CCDA) Acting Managing Director William Lakain expressed the dialogue as a key step forward in advancing priority actions on climate change between PNG and Australia.
“I thank PNG’s Special Climate Envoy Mr. Ruel Yamuna and the Australia’s Ambassador for Climate Change Ms. Kristin Tilley for leading the fruitful dialogue and also thank the officials from both countries for your participation.”
Ms. Kristin Tilley also expressed that the partnership demonstrates the commitment to design a log-term program to strengthen PNG’s systems to help it access a greater share of international climate finance.
The dialogue concluded with the signing of an outcome statement and the signing of the Joint Action Plan in the presence of representatives from development partners, non-governmental organizations, private sector organizations, academia, think tanks and the media.