ENVIRONMENT

Weekender

A precious coral ecosystem

Staff from Climate Change and Development Authority speaking to students during the World Oceans and Coral Triangle Day commemoration at Apec Haus, Port Moresby. ronment Day Commemo

By JINA AMBA
THE World Oceans Day and the Coral Triangle Day are commemorated on June 8 and 9 respectively ever year.
The United Nations marks World Oceans Day each year on 8 June. The event provides an opportunity to celebrate the importance of the ocean and to better understand how to interact with it in a sustainable manner.
The Coral Triangle Day is an international ecological observance held annually on June 9. It aims to celebrate the biodiversity of the Coral Triangle and to raise awareness of its conservation and protection.
This year both events were celebrated and commemorated on June 9 this year at the Apec Haus in Port Moresby.
Staff of the Climate Change and Development Authority took part in the event by putting up a information booth where students visited and asked questions on Climate Change in the country.
Students went away with vital information on climate change and its impacts in the country.
The event was hosted by Conservation, Environment and Protection Authority (CEPA) with its partners.
The goal of the Coral Triangle Day was to position the Coral Triangle as a globally-significant ecoregion – a modern day icon of the natural world so that millions of people learn more about its significance to their everyday lives and are empowered to take specific actions to help conserve and protect this natural treasure.
The event was aimed at bringing to light the importance of oceans in people’s lives and the need to protect them. It also highlighted the conservation work being done by Coral Triangle partners in the region to help protect the Coral Triangle.
The event provided a regional platform to promote national / local marine conservation work in each Coral Triangle country.
It provided a tangible way for people to celebrate several key international marine events such as World Oceans Day.
The 2022 Coral Triangle Day theme for 2022 was “Sustaining the Coral Triangle Ecosystem through Blue Economy” in line with the declaration of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).
PNG’s programme for the Coral Triangle Day aimed to drive awareness and educational information towards the younger generation to appreciate and take ownership of our ocean environment.


Destroying nature we destroy ourselves

World Environment Day marked with a solemn reminder

CCDA acting Managing Director William Lakain presenting gifts to students during the World Environment Day Commemoration at Nature Park, Port Moresby.

By JINA AMBA & SAMSON KUPALE
“THE Earth doesn’t belong to us; we belong to the Earth”.
By destroying nature, we destroy ourselves.
This was the message for this year’s World Environment Day commemoration.
The World Environment Day falls on June 5 every year. This year’s World Environment Day commemoration was led by the Conservation Environment and Protection Authority (CEPA) and other partners including the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA).
The acting Managing Director of Climate Change and Development Authority William Lakain with the staff from CCDA took part in the World Environment Day Commemoration.
On Friday, June 3 officers from CCDA took part in doing awareness at Apec Haus by putting up an information booth for students from schools in Port Moresby visited and asked question. Students from selected schools in Port Moresby attended the event and went around booths and got information on the importance of the Environment.
On Sunday the 5th staff from CCDA joined CEPA and other partners and walked to Ela Beach in Port Moresby including National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop who joined the walk. The program ended with a beach clean-up at Konebada in Port Moresby.
During the main event on Monday, June 6, CCDA acting Managing Director William Lakain said: “On the World Environment Day (WED), we join the rest of the world in celebrating the significance of the environment around us.
“This is an important moment for us to reflect on our shared responsibility to safeguard our precious environment and for generations to come.
“The Environmental challenges with climate change being the epicentre, affect all of us in PNG. To win this battle, we must work together to preserve our environment and protect our climate.

CCDA staff and families after the World Environment Day Walkathon at Ela beach, Port Moresby.

“This year’s WED theme is “Only-One-Earth”, which reminds us that we have one planet to live in. It also reminds us of the need to live sustainably in harmony with the earth’s nature.”
“Our natural environment, provides healthy ecosystems, clean water, purified air, maintain soil, regulate the climate among many other services. That is why the environment is the foundation of life on land and in seas.”
“We must therefore, advance our actions; big or small that contribute to safeguarding our natural environment.”
“At Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA), we are committed to this cause, bearing in mind that a climate resilient nation cannot be realized without the preservation of our natural environment and forests.”
“That is why CCDA continues to play a leading role with line agencies and partners, in the coordination of climate related policies and actions with respect to PNG’s forests resources and environment as key assets.
“We must take pride of the environment around us that keep us alive and keep us going. Our actions in preserving our environment; whether big or small like planting trees, matter.”
Lakain acknowledge the entities, partners and individuals which are already supporting the environment, forestry and climate change programs in the country. I encourage you all to continue to do more to restore nature.
He told the students who were present that; You are the youth full of high spirits and hope and you have the power to save Earth. You must learn about the environment as much as you can. Because the knowledge you acquire will enable you to foster a better relationship with the environment in future.
Lakain thanked Cepa for taking the lead in hosting the program to commemorate the 2022 World Environment Day. He acknowledged the support of partners who have made the program possible and he acknowledged the presence of the students who took part in World Environment Day commemoration.

  • Jina Amba is the Media Officer for CCDA and Samson Kupale is the Public Relations and Communications officer for CCDA.