PNG is at the forefront of advocating for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) and sustainable management of forests and conservation.
In supporting this the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) recently held a workshop to provide an update on climate change projects with stakeholders on key issues.
The REDD+ Consultation workshop was attended by 38 participants who represented key government agencies, NGO’s, private sector and development partners.
PNG has committed to reducing the area of annual deforestation and forest degradation by 25 percent against the 2015 level by 2030 in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC, 2020). PNG aims to achieve the target through implementing REDD+.
In April, 2021, at the Leaders’ Summit on Climate, Norway, United Kindom, the US together with a group of global companies including Amazon, Nestle, Unilever announced the LEAF Coalition (Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest finance).
This is an ambitious new public-private initiative designed to accelerate climate action by providing results-based finance to countries committed to protecting their tropical forests.
LEAF aims to mobilize at least $1 billion in financing, kicking off what is expected to become one of the largest public-private efforts to help protect tropical forests.
At the workshop, the LEAF Coalition Proposal was presented, an update on GCF REDD+ Readiness Project was provided, consultation was done on the REDD+ issues with the stakeholders. Consensus and informed development of the REDD+ proposals presented were assured to confirm timeline of activities, proposed consultations and the way forward.
Terence Barambi, Manager REDD+ Division, CCDA said PNG is trying to meet its NDC targets while ensuring that the country reaps additional benefits from their forests through REDD+.
“To ensure that deforestation and forest degradation is done in a more sustainable manner in local communities in parallel with improved livelihood,” Mr Barambi said.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations OIC, Dr Hitofumi Abe said that LEAF Coalition uses the independent and rigorous ART/TREES standard to ensure uncompromising environmental and social integrity.
“PNG has achieved all REDD+ design elements required under the Warsaw Framework. PNG has submitted its REDD+ results and the NDC to the UNFCCC. PNG is one of the most advanced REDD+ countries globally.”
CCDA and FAO are eager to continue to work in collaboration with relevant sectors and key stakeholders to improve the national REDD+ institutional framework, seek further funding opportunities for REDD+.
The CCDA has incorporated the workshop consultation outcomes and has submitted the proposal to the LEAF Coalition in July.
The acceptance of the PNG proposal will enable more comprehensive stakeholder consultation to commence the related activities in 2022.