Green Climate Fund (GCF)

GEF/GCF To Co-Host Pavilion

The PNG Special Envoy has met with the GCF Executive Director. 

The GEF and GCF share a common vision to support nature and climate solutions which work together. 

The COP26 UN Climate Change Conference, is hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy.

The conference has kicked off on Sunday October 31, and ends November 12, 2021.

It is being hosted at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow.

The GEF will be engaged in multiple events and activities related to COP26 priorities around mitigation, adaptation, finance, and collaboration.

PNG urged to quickly access climate fund

GCF is the financial mechanism for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aimed to fund programs towards low carbon emissions.

Its objective is to combat global climate change on both the adaptation and mitigation fronts.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) Pacific department senior natural resource management specialist, Jay Roop, says ADB has identified a small number of projects in PNG. 

ADB is among 10 GCF accredited entities working in PNG and the Pacific region, assisting to submit project and program proposals for climate funding.

Renewable energy proposal for Pom

The Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) and accredited entity to the GCF, Asian Development Bank, are developing the proposal.

The renewable energy project could be a combination of solar, both terrestrial and rooftops, and wind, with several potential sites under study.

CCDA/ADB consultant Dennis Fenton said renewable energy has the potential to displace diesel.

Fenton said with currently 50 percent of energy used in Moresby coming from diesel, renewable energy is good for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

CCDA hopes to submit first proposal by April

The proposal must be submitted to the GCF Board to undergo screening before they can be approved for funds to be released.

CCDA is the national designated authority (NDA) that finalises and reviews the different project proposals for GCF deliberation.

CCDA acting managing director, Ruel Yamuna, said last year they had one that went through the GCF Board and was approved.

This was the renewable energy project under the Asian Development Bank, which is being rolled out within the region.

Fund provides platform to help communities: PM

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said: “As part of this, it is essential that funding be streamlined to enable climate change projects to be rolled out around the country.”

He said an important focus for current GCF engagement is to work with Pacific countries to develop project proposals before submitting to the GCF Board for deliberation.

“The process of identifying and developing projects is driven by individual countries and ensures that projects are developed that are specific to the dangers faced by our people.

PM welcomes Green Climate Fund opportunities

In a recent meeting with the GCF chairman, Ewen McDonald, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill highlighted the need for finance and capacity building to enable PNG to implement its obligations under the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

“Our nation and the region faces serious threats from extreme weather exacerbated by climate change,” the Prime Minister said.

“Developing countries did not cause climate change, but we all suffer because of climate change.

GCF: Countries must take ownership

The director for GCF Taskforce, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Sally Truong, said GCF focuses on countries to at least put in some level of support to fund project proposals.

Truong said this demonstrates country ownership of the proposals.

GCF was established to assist developing countries finance their climate change mitigation and adaptation programs.

The proposals must be submitted to the GCF Board to undergo screening before they can be approved for funds to be released.

International climate body granted access to PNG

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Rimbink Pato, announced this following his recent trip to the United States along with Minister for Pubic Service, Puka Temu and a PNG delegation.

He said accessibility to funding has always been an issue for PNG and other Pacific neighbours and allowing personnel from the global environmental body in PNG was a step in the right direction.