Papua New Guinea (PNG) met with Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) on a bilateral discussion on Friday at the annual United Nations Climate Negotiations (COP 27), Egypt.
The bilateral was to discuss priority areas under the country’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) of which GGGI can support as a delivery partner.
The priority areas include infrastructure, health, agriculture and transport; the type of support needed to implement projects on the ground in response to climate change.
PNG was represented by Minister for Environment, Conservation and Climate Change, honorable Simo Kilepa and GGGI was represented by Director General, Frank Rijsberman.
During the bilateral meeting, Minister Kilepa acknowledged GGGI for their technical support back in the country, as a delivery partner in implementing adaptation programs under the Climate Resilient Green Growth (CRGG) project phase one.
Minister Kilepa said, the NAP priorities are crucial for PNG in building its resilience against climate change, however, can only be implemented successfully if financial sources are established and accessed to implement them.
“We would appreciate technical support to accessing financing of the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan priorities which include infrastructure, health, agriculture and transport. The CRGG project moving forward into phase two, will need to aim towards that”, said Minister Kilepa.
“At this stage, efforts to mobilize climate and green investments is needed. Within the next five years, we appreciate the support of GGGI to mobilize finance for PNG to implement its priorities, both adaptation and mitigation. This will help PNG meet its ambition goals”, said Mr. Kilepa.
Minister Kilepa also highlighted that the GGGI’s support towards climate negotiations also need to be upscaled to involve sectors in the country to understand this process in the areas of climate change adaptation, mitigation and financing so that all sectors are on the same wavelength.
Frank Rijsberman of GGGI upon acknowledging Minister Kilepa’s remarks, expressed contentment of GGGI’s partnership with the PNG Government on the CRGG interventions in the country and reassured GGGI’s continued partnership.
“We are happy to work with PNG in partnership with Australia to support the CRGG projects in PNG at 350 million dollars for the next five years.
“That can only happen with the support of the PNG government, the Ministry for Climate Change, and other key agencies and of course with the support of everybody”, said Rijsberman.
Minister Kilepa in acknowledging GGGI’s commitment, said with the support, PNG also expects to see mainstreaming of climate change into sector policies, plans and budget at the provincial levels in the coming years.