Pundari targets schemes

National

By LUKE KAMA
THERE are so many schemes for climate change funding coming into the country but there is very little or no tangible outcome on the ground, Minister for Environment and Conservation and Climate Change John Pundari says.
Pundari announced his 100-day plan for the Climate Change and Development Authority on Friday.
He said part of his plan in the first 100 days since the formation of the new Government would be to look into how the funding was managed and implemented by multilaterals in the country.
“I want to see in the next two to three months the different schemes of climate change funds that we have in the country that were managed by our multilaterals like the United National Development Programme, the Asian Development Bank and others,” Pundari said.
“Some of these schemes of funds were announced for the people of PNG as a nation, but the reality and the tangibility of these funds being realised by our people on the ground in PNG stills remain a mystery.”
He said funding announced to address climate change impacts in the country was very difficult to access by State agencies.
“For instance, I think a project on building resilience to the impact of climate change worth about US$28 million (K87 million) was announced in 2015, but our people are still there in the villages dreaming on when this project will come true,” Pundari said.
“It’s almost two to three years now.
“This is just one example of many climate change schemes in the country and over the next 100 days, I want to know what the programmes are, the constraints and the way forward on what needs to be done.”
Pundari said people continue to suffer from the impacts of climate change and any funding made available for projects should be easily accessible for the State agencies to implement projects and programmes.
“Like our Carteret Islanders in Bougainville, they need to be resettled,” he said.
“People’s livelihoods are already affected and here we still have these funds.
“We are still talking about them and saying there is still more work to be done.
“I want to see what and why there is still more work to be done and if there is any international consultants that is doing climate change work in the country.”