A workshop highlighting the importance of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and how Papua New Guinea can access the fund is currently underway in Port Moresby.
Over 100 participants from government and non-governmental organisations and agencies are involved in the workshop, hosted by the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA).
GCFs’ visit to PNG is to facilitate the readiness and preparatory stage for the purposes of accessing climate finance.
GCF was established to assist developing countries finance their mitigation and adaptation programs.
The signing of the Privileges and Immunities Agreement paved the way for officials from GCF to enter PNG and work with the government.
CCDA acting managing director, Ruel Yamuna, said the workshop helps to inform stakeholders on how the different projects can be accessed.
Yamuna said the workshop also informs how the GCF board, in their decision-making processes, takes into consideration PNG’s priority needs as per the country strategies, policies and legislative framework.
“We find this workshop as an opportunity to help us identify and understand the different scales of finances available within GCF so that it can help us with our adaptation and mitigation activities.
“Overall, it helps us in our implementation of our obligation under the Paris Agreement,” Yamuna said.
Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Conservation, John Pundari, said PNG aims to establish a strong financial management system which meets GCF’s requirements and standards.
Pundari added that ultimately, CCDA would like to qualify to be an accredited entity for purposes of accessing direct finance from the GCF.
GCF was established in 2012 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to assist developing countries finance their mitigation and adaptation programs.