Papua New Guinea will not attend the 29th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (UNFCCC COP29) this year.
Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko announced it at the Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting on Small State (CMMSS) in Apia, Samoa, last week.
Tkatchenko said: “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.”
He 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,” Tkatchenko said.
The Minister said PNG was taking the stand for the benefit of all the small island nations, particularly Pacific Island small states, who have had much difficulty with access to climate finance over the years.
Tkatchenko said the international community was failing to live up to 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,” he added.
Tkatchenko emphasised that the decision reflects the broader frustration felt by nations like PNG which bear the brunt of climate change but see little to no meaningful support from the global community.