Papua New Guinea Takes Steps To Develop National REDD+ Strategy

Port Moresby, February 16, 2016 – The Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) in close collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the PNG Forest Authority (PNGFA) hosted a Project Executive Board (PEB) Meeting today. The meeting focused on plans for the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility Readiness (FCPF) project, which seeks to foster conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhance forest carbon stocks of Papua New Guinea (REDD+).

The meeting was attended by project board members and key project partners from the government, international development partners, civil society and public sector dealing with REDD+ activities in the country. Joe Pokana, the CCDA Acting Managing Director, thanked the participants for attending the meeting and highlighted key agendas for the meeting.

“Overall guidance of the project and better coordination among agencies, consistent with national policies and priorities is a key agenda for this meeting,” said Pokana.

The FCPF REDD+ Readiness Project is a continuation of the UN-REDD project led by CCDA, PNGFA, Food Agricultural Organization, UNEP and UNDP. The project finished in 2015 and laid out foundation for implementing further REDD+ activities. The new FCPF REDD+ Readiness Project will build on that progress and work on enhancing capacity of the country for efficient management of REDD+ and the National REDD+ Strategy.

Hisashi Izumi, Head of Programme at UNDP in Papua New Guinea expressed UNDP’s commitment to support the activities in partnership with the PNG Government.

“UNDP in Papua New Guinea has been partnering with the Government in the areas of climate change adaptation and mitigation. PNG has demonstrated its commitment to advocate for REDD+; the recent inclusion of a separate Article 5 on REDD+ under the UNFCCC would not have been possible without active participation of the PNG Government delegation strongly advocating the REDD+ agenda. UNDP is ready to continue our support to this important work”, said Izumi.

Goodwill Amos, Acting Managing Director of PNG Forest Authority, has also acknowledged the importance of REDD+ Readiness efforts in the country and emphasized that FCPF project can significantly contribute to manage valuable forest resources through development of a National REDD+ strategy.

Since its (FCPF Project) inception last year, the project has established a Project Management Unit (PMU) within CCDA, conducted capacity building workshops on increasing awareness on REDD+ elements and the potential National REDD+ Strategy, undertook an assessment of national circumstances and drivers of deforestation and more.

“Transforming ideas from “project driven” to “policy approach” will be a core element under the FCPF project. This approach will ensure country’s leadership and ownership to effectively manage REDD+ in a transparent, coherent and participatory manners that would lead to sustainable growth in PNG” – noted Mr. Mirzohaydar Isoev, FCPF Technical Advisor.

The new FCPF REDD+ Readiness Project will give a unique opportunity to generate high-level support for REDD+ in Papua New Guinea, enhance awareness among government ministries, provinces, communities and other stakeholders on forest conservation.

The project is implemented with the financial support of the World Bank’s FCPF with total budget of USD 3.8 million for four years (2015–2018).