PNG ready to submit carbon targets to UN
By PATRICK TALU
PAPUA New Guinea has formalised its emission reduction targets (ERT) to comply with the Copenhagen Accord in reducing carbon emissions by 60% come 2020 and 100% by 2050.
Environment and Conservation Secretary, Dr Wari Iamo, said PNG was ready to submit its ERT to the UN together with its emission mitigation action plans.
Dr Iamo told The National yesterday by phone that PNG was focusing on the reduced emission on deforestation and degradation (REDD) initiative.
“To facilitate the REDD initiative, the Annex One nations (industrialised nations) have already committed K3 billion – K5 billion to the coalition of rainforest nations, including PNG.
“These funds are going to be used to create awareness, establishment of institutional capacities financing and technology transfer, pilot projects, laws and policy framework for REDD initiative and other necessary works,” Dr Iamo said.
Meanwhile, the EU last month formalised its support for the Copenhagen Accord on climate change and presented its commitments for ERT to the UN.
In a statement released from the EU country office in Port Moresby on Monday, a joint letter signed by the Spanish presidency of the council and the European commission has formally notified the EU’s willingness to be associated with the Accord and submitted information on EU’s established greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for 2020.
Commission president José Manuel Barroso said: “The EU is determined to move ahead rapidly with implementing the Copenhagen Accord to make progress towards the agreement that we need to hold global warming below 2°C.
“The accord provides a basis on which to build the future agreement and I therefore urge all countries to associate themselves with it and notify ambitious emission targets or actions for inclusion as we are doing.”
The accord was the main outcome of the UN climate change conference held in Copenhagen from Dec 7 – 19.
The accord was negotiated by 28 developed and developing countries and the EC which account for 80% of the GHG emission.