Kavieng, Papua New Guinea – 22 July 2024 – The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) has continued with the roll out and implementation of the new Papua New Guinea (PNG) Climate FIRST project during its inception phase when the New Ireland Province hosted the Climate FIRST Inception and Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on Monday 22 July, in Kavieng, the provincial capital. The workshop which was attended by 40 participants brought all New Ireland provincial stakeholders together, including government executives and officials, district, LLG and ward representatives, private sector, NGOs and civil society to discuss and have a shared common understanding of the project’s key components and implementation at the provincial level, aligning expectations and providing a basis for project scoping, planning and execution.

The landmark Climate FIRST project is fully funded by the Government of Australia for AUD 20 million under the PNG-Australia Climate Change Action Plan (PACCAP) to help PNG tackle the adverse impacts of climate change and build a stronger, climate resilient and socially inclusive nation, communities and peoples. The project aims to achieve this by strengthening institutional climate finance coordination that will scale up PNG’s access to domestic and international climate finance and green investments through traditional global climate finance facilities, increased private sector contributions and innovative financing mechanisms including Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSME) development. The increase in climate finance and investments will support the PNG’s intention to move beyond the cycles of planning and mainstreaming of climate change and into implementation. The project is also designed with a strong gender equity, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) component to ensure that women, people with disability and vulnerable groups will equally benefit in the Climate FIRST outcomes.

The project which was officially launched by the National Capital District (NCD) Governor, Hon. Powes Parkop in Port Moresby on 11 March 2024 is a collaboration between Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Climate Change Development Authority (CCDA) with GGGI as the delivery partner. The project scope includes subnational components which seeks to mainstream climate change in provincial plans and budgets and scale up climate investments in seven target provinces with the aim of addressing climate adaption and building strong, climate resilient and socially inclusive communities. The seven provinces which include Eastern Highlands, Enga, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, New Ireland and Simbu have all signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with CCDA and GGGI on 4 June 2024 during the project’s national inception meeting in Port Moresby. The MOUs provide a framework for engagement, partnership and collaboration between the parties to implement Climate FIRST in these seven provinces.

The New Ireland Inception and Stakeholder Workshop was the first of the workshops that will be convened in the seven provinces between July and September 2024 marking commencement of the implementation of Climate FIRST at the subnational level. A Joint Mission Team consisting of the Acting Managing Director of CCDA, MS Debra Sungi, Ms Kashpee Wahid, the First Secretary for Climate Change and Forestry at the Australian High Commission, and Mr Saki Tuisolia, the GGGI PNG and Solomon Islands Country Representative had travelled from Port Moresby to host the workshop. The workshop was a success enabling participants to engage in insightful discussions and collaborative sessions to outline the sector priorities and strategic direction of the project and ensure it aligns with the specific needs and priorities of the local communities.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop Ms Debra Sungi, Acting Managing Director of CCDA acknowledged the New Ireland Provincial Administration for remotely signing the MoU for the Climate FIRST Project. “To implement Climate FIRST, CCDA had guided GGGI to observe PNG Government protocol where Hon. Minister Simo Kilepa, Minister for Environment, Conservation and Climate Change has officially written to the Governor Sir Julius Chan to inform him about Climate FIRST and seek his support for its implementation. I did then as Acting MD CCDA also wrote to the Acting Provincial Administrator on the same note. We did the same for the other provinces. This then open the doors for GGGI’s engagement with the provinces.”

Ms Sungi also thanked the Government of Australia for its support through the PNG-Australia Climate Change Action package and GGGI for implementing the Climate FIRST Project within PNG.

Ms Mactil Bais, the Acting Caretaker Provincial Administrator for New Ireland, delivered her opening remarks and assured of the support of the New Ireland Provincial Government and its people to the implementation of Climate FIRST in the province. “New Ireland has benefitted from being a pilot province under the previous Australian DFAT funded Climate Resilience Green Growth (CRGG) project that was delivered by GGGI which resulted in the adoption of its CRGG Strategy to address climate change in the province. The CRGG Strategy will guide the identification of New Ireland’s investment priorities under Climate FIRST and the scaled access to climate finance will accelerate climate action and benefits in New Ireland,” said Ms Bais.

Ms Kashpee Wahid, the First Secretary for Climate Change and Forestry at the Australian High Commission, in her opening remarks highlighted Australia’s strong support for Papua New Guinea’s climate initiatives and the significance of the AUD 20 million funding, which underscores Australia’s commitment to partnering with PNG in building a sustainable future.

The GGGI Country Representative for PNG and Solomon Islands, Mr Saki Tuisolia, in his opening remarks thanked the Australian Government for its funding which will be catalytical in increasing access to climate finance and investments, and Provincial Government of New Ireland for its continuing support in the implementation Climate FIRST. “Climate FIRST is a timely intervention that is designed to help the province accelerate its climate change agenda and actions through increased access to climate finance and investments,” he said.

About Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA)

The Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) is Papua New Guinea’s lead government agency responsible for coordinating climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives. CCDA works to develop and implement policies that address climate change impacts while promoting sustainable development across the country.

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(GGGI Papua New Guinea) 

Angus Moina, Communications Officer – Green Finance Centre

angus.moina@gggi.org

(GGGI Seoul HQ) 
Mona Laczo, Communications & Knowledge Sharing Unit Head 
mona.laczo@gggi.org

© Photo Credit GGGI