Papua New Guinea raising issues at Biodiversity Conference

Pacific Voyage Media Team

Papua New Guinea delegates with SPREP's Easter Galuvao

20 October Nagoya, Japan - Papua New Guinea’s main concern at the CBD COP10 is the issue of biodiversity loss as a result of the effects of climate change.  Similar sentiments are being expressed by a strong and committed delegation from other Pacific Island Countries.

Ms Kay Kalim, Deputy Secretary of the Sustainable Environment Program under PNGs Department of Conservation, is confident that PNG, as part of the Pacific delegation will use this opportunity to promote the Pacific issues on biodiversity, biodiversity loss and that of climate change.

“One concern that PNG would to take to this agenda is the REDD +,” said Ms Kalim.

At the CBD COP10, Ms Kalim says that Pacific island countries should try to advocate issues that are affecting the Pacific because of the minority status adding that the Pacific is clustered in the big ocean and is isolated from decision making mechanisms.

 PNG would also like to gain support on the issue of donor agencies enabling activity funds to be directly provided to countries.

“With direct budget funding, countries will be able to carry out their activities faster as there will be no delay in receiving the funding.”

She said CBD COP10 is a time for negotiation and if PNG and the Pacific have their views captured then it will be a huge milestone adding that for the past 10 years there has been little progress made to protect biodiversity.

The PNG delegation is working closely with Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on issues of Forestry and biodiversity, agriculture and in-land biodiversity.

Papua New Guinea contains close to 7% of the Planet’s biodiversity in just 0.6% of the global land area.