Minister for Environment, Conservation & Climate Change, Wera Mori, commemorated the International Day of Forests in Morobe Province on Saturday.
While the day of forests falls on March 21st every year, the Minister took time off on March 26th to visit Finschhafen.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, forests are home to about 80 percent of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity, with more than 60,000 tree species.
PNG alone holds one of the largest primary forests of the world.
Speaking at the Finschhafen Technical School, Minister Mori said this is why the conservation of our natural environment is important.
“The significance of its importance is such, when you know that we have most of our tropical rainforests – around the world – being harvested,” he stated.
“In PNG, we have a total land coverage of 465,000 km2 – which basically converts to 46.6 million hectares. A third of that are either under forestry concessions or being harvested. We only have a balance of 65 to 70 percent of (forest) cover that is remaining.
“Given the significance of the threats posed by climate change and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, it is critically important that we must recognise the significance and importance of rainforests.”
Minister Mori further called on all Papua New Guineans to respect our rainforests.
Around 1.6 billion people depend directly on forests for food, shelter, energy, medicines and income, and PNG is no exception.