Aussies to work with PNG on REDD

THE Australian government will work closely with Papua New Guinea on reduced emission from deforestation degradation (REDD), Australian High Commissioner to PNG Chris Moraitis said.
Mr Moraitis said to enhance the existing agreements, Canberra had made a commitment of a new five-year multi-agreement funding to contain impacts of climate change.
He did not disclose the monetary value but the funding was made under the existing agreement, the PNG-Australia Forest Carbon Partnership which was signed between Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd last March in Port Moresby.
Mr Moraitis said PNG and Australia’s interests and views were closely aligned as the two countries take note of global negotiations, especially when both were supporters of the inclusion of REDD as part of a global agreement.
“The partnership is focused on reducing emission from REDD in developing countries, on improving livelihoods for forest-dependent communities and on promoting biodiversity protection,” Mr Moraitis said.
He said the Australian government, through AusAID, had worked with a range of PNG agencies, including the Office of Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, the National Forest Authority and the Department of Environment and Conservation.
Mr Moraitis said AusAID was also working with other development partners such as United Nations Development Fund to help PNG.