AN alliance of researchers, advocacy and legal organisations has warned that Papua New Guinea’s plans for fossil fuel projects would cause major setbacks to achieving the nation’s energy targets if they proceed.
With more than two million people in the Highlands affected by floods, droughts and landslides and people being forced to relocate from their coastal homes and low-lying lands; PNG is highly susceptible to climate change.
The Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights and Jubilee Australia, through the publication of Nogat Coal, produced a background paper urging PNG to follow through on their plan to combat climate change.
Specific reference is made to projects such as the Papua LNG, PNG LNG, P’nyang, Pasca A and a coal-fired power station in Lae meaning an introduction and reliance on non-renewable energy.
The alliance recommended that the Government implemented a ban on coal-mining and coal-fired power for the grid of these LNG projects or any other power generation.
The paper questioned PNG’s ability to meet its climate action targets, with reference to Prime Minister James Marape’s stand on climate change at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
Specific mention was also made of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), created in response to the 2016 climate action plan under the Paris Agreement.
According to PNG’s NDC implementation plan, the forest and land use sectors are the biggest emitters of greenhouse gas, while also having the biggest potential to remove emissions.
As the world’s largest exporter of tropical logs, the paper suggested that PNG make drastic changes in order to meet their NDC targets.
The National / Pacific Mining Watch
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