Wednesday 23 October, 2024
Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Justin Tkatchenko, during the Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting on Small State in Apia, Samoa.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Justin Tkatchenko, has announced Papua New Guinea’s non participation in the upcoming 29th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (UNFCCC COP29) this year at the political level, in defense of forest nations and small island states.
Minister Tkatchenko raised Papua New Guinea’s concerns during the Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting on Small State (CMMSS), in Apia, Samoa, ahead of the CHOGM Leaders’ Week.
The CMMSS is a meeting of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers which is convened prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), and provides a platform for Ministers of Foreign Affairs to discuss challenges confronting commonwealth small states, including concrete action to strengthen resilience of these countries building on existing global development frameworks for sustainable development
The Commonwealth comprises 56 countries of which 33 are small states both island and landlocked including nine Pacific Island countries out of the total 42 Small States in the United Nations.
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The 2024 CMMSS focused on members’ efforts to advance the implementation of the Advocacy Strategy for Small States on: (i) mobilizing concrete actions to build resilience to address economic vulnerability; (ii) enhance climate action; and (iii) support small states to build fiscal resilience and improve debt sustainability while amplifying advocacy on access to concessional development finance towards building resilient economies for small states in the Commonwealth.
In this context, Minister Tkatchenko, emphasized that this decision reflects the broader frustration felt by nations like Papua New Guinea (PNG), which bear the brunt of climate change but see little to no meaningful support from the global community.
“Papua New Guinea is making this stand for the benefit of all small island nations. We will no longer tolerate empty promises and inaction, while our people suffer the devastating consequences of climate change.”
Minister Tkatchenko highlighted the various ways climate change is ravaging PNG, from rising sea levels and natural disasters to landslides, floods, and droughts.
“Yet, despite contributing little to the global climate crisis, countries like PNG are left grappling with its severe impacts.”
He said Papua New Guinea is taking this stand for the benefit of all the small island nations, recognising that not much traction has been made to help small states, particularly Pacific Island small states.
Small island states have had difficulty accessing climate finance over the recent years, despite making high level representation at the UNFCCC COP, yet nothing concrete has come out of such major multilateral meeting.
While it was noted that the outcome of the CMMSS would prepare commonwealth countries to make collective representation at the forthcoming COP29 in Azerbaijan, to progress the commonwealth efforts on building resilient economies and associated environmental commitments, Minister Tkatchenko informed that Papua New Guinea will no longer listen to empty promises.
Minister Tkatchenko has expressed concern over the international community’s failure of its financial and moral commitments, leaving smaller nations like PNG to fend for themselves in the face of increasingly frequent and severe climate events.
“The pledges made by major polluters amount to nothing more than empty talk. They impose impossible barriers for us to access the crucial funds we need to protect our people. Despite continuous attempts, we have not received a single toea in support to date.”
Minister Tkatchenko stressed that Papua New Guinea is one of the third (3rd) biggest rain forest nations of the world, serving as the major lungs of the world that cleans the carbon dioxide that major greenhouse gas emitters (countries) produce, thus is an integral global lifeline in saving the world and the planet from disaster.
In explaining PNG’s withdrawal from COP29, the Minister was unequivocal: “We need action, not more talk. “The last three COP meetings have gone around in circles, producing no tangible results for small island states.
“COP29 will be no different, so PNG will not participate at the political level recognising the lack of respect for forest nations in the big carbon sink until some progress becomes evident to address the plight of PNG and other small states.”
Minister Tkatchenko called attention to the hypocrisy surrounding global climate financing and the disregard for forest nations, which act as critical carbon sinks for the planet.
“The international community has shown a total lack of respect for countries like ours that play a crucial role in mitigating climate change. We are tired of being sidelined.”
The Minister affirmed that Papua New Guinea would explore independent solutions to protect its people and natural assets, free from the empty promises of the global powers, as a way forward.
“If we must cut down our forests to sustain ourselves and develop our economy, so be it. Papua New Guinea will no longer wait for empty words while our people suffer. We are taking control of our destiny.”
This bold decision underscores Papua New Guinea’s frustration with the international community’s inaction and sends a clear message: forest nations and small island states deserve more than lip service-they deserve real, tangible and immediate action.