Climate project launched

The National National
From left: Global Green Growth Institute director-general Dr Frank Rijsberman, National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop, Australian high commissioner John Feakes and acting Climate Change and Development Authority managing director Debra Sungi at the launching of the Climate First project in Port Moresby on Monday. – Picture supplied

By JESHER TILTO
THE Climate Finance Initiative for Resilience and a Sustainable Transition (First) project is aimed at securing investment funds for climate-resilient initiatives and businesses in the country.
National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop said the A$20 million (about K50 million) project was part of the Papua New Guinea-Australia climate change action plan that would be implemented over the next four years to help those affected by climate change.
“We all know too well how climate change is adversely impacting our invaluable natural resources and assets, business and economic sectors, communities, and people’s way of life right across the country,” he said during the project launching on Monday.
“This is on top of many development challenges and fiscal limitations that we already face as a small island developing State and low-income developing country.
“The project is a catalyst for urgent immediate action as it will help us leverage more resources to respond to one of the greatest threats of our time.”
Australian high commissioner John Feakes said Climate First would be an opportunity to unlock funding for new projects that would benefit communities across PNG.
“Australia has listened to PNG’s feedback on its climate priorities.
“We know that accessing a greater share large-scale funding for high-quality projects is at the top of that list of priorities.
“We are optimistic that Climate First will boost PNG’s ability to build resilience to climate change at the community level, and support PNG’s transition to a low-carbon economy,” Feakes said.
Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) director-general Dr Frank Rijsberman said more support would be given to address climate change in PNG.
“Climate First is planned on scale that would generate significant transformative impacts for Papua New Guineans and their communities in the seven target provinces, making them become more resilient and adaptive to the adverse impacts of climate change.
“GGGI will more than double the size of its team in PNG in the coming months with provincial staff to be appointed and also embedded in the seven provinces that Climate First will be supporting to coordinate the implementation of the project at the sub-national level,” he said.