Page 44 - Islands Business October 2023 edition

Opinion

REGENERATE FORESTS AND SAVE

HUMANITY

By Lydia Nenai from a net sink to net source of emissions (2015) attributed
to commercial agriculture and logging, and back to a net sink.
“The era of global boiling has arrived,” UN Secretary- What are the drivers behind this? Why are we losing our trees
General, Antonio Guterres, recently warned. It looks as if faster than we can protect them?
the climate change tipping point has been activated and all PNG, akin to developed and other developing countries, is
hands are required on deck to mitigate the worst of climate in pursuit of social and economic growth to fulfil its domestic
change impacts. Attention is increasingly turning toward needs, concerns, and pressures. Despite this, development
forest nations to conserve and regenerate forests and save has yet to reach most of the estimated 85% of people who
humanity. are most vulnerable to climate change and who dwell in
Human influence is the dominant cause of observed rural areas. These are also our landholders and/or custodians
warming. Three key factors contributing to climate change of forests. The majority of our people do not have access
since the mid-20th Century are, population growth, affluence, to essential services such as health, education, electricity,
and technological advancement. piped water supply, markets and banking facilities, and are
Historically, cumulative emissions have been distributed disconnected from road networks or pay high transportation
amongst developed countries and industrial nations, including costs to access basic services.
China. Large economies have a wide range of per capita Many of these people also lack climate change knowledge.

Illiteracy translates into how or whether climate change information is received
and translated so that informed decisions can be made about forest conservation
and management. Landholders are not well informed about the leading role their
forests play in carbon sequestration as a public good, which serves to benefit the
global community.

emissions and have made variable progress to decoupling Illiteracy translates into how or whether climate change
emissions growth and economic growth. As a result, fossil fuel information is received and translated so that informed
production and industry-related greenhouse gas emissions decisions can be made about forest conservation and
growth have continued, and both land and ocean surface management. Landholders are not well informed about the
temperatures continue to rise, fast exceeding the assimilative leading role their forests play in carbon sequestration as a
capacity of our environment, and resulting in unexpected and public good, which serves to benefit the global community.
mostly negative consequences. They are oblivious to the fact that achieving NDC targets and
Deep decarbonisation is the only pathway to mitigate the international commitments requires their forests to remain
worst effects of climate change. standing. And if the NDCs are conditional, how much finance
Pledges have been made by all countries, both developed and technology transfer are they entitled to?
and developing, for emissions reduction outcomes by 2030 The Paris Agreement that countries signed up to is based
with different forms and ambitions through their Nationally on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities
Determined Contributions (NDCs), but these pledges are and respective capabilities between countries, and envisages
inadequate and progress towards them too slow to address a bottom-up approach. For PNG and its international
the scale of the challenge. partners, pressures and reputation to meet NDC ambitions
PNG’s NDC targets are conditional on international support through forest conservation can be better supported if
for finances and technology transfer. Similar to overall conditional support is linked to socio-economic benefits, local
global emission trends by economic sectors, land use, land- leadership, and directly received by forest owners based on
use change and forestry (LULUCF) also accounts for most their contextual needs.
emissions after the energy sector in PNG. The country also
hosts the third largest rainforest estate (approximately 80% Lydia Nenai is the National Coordinator for the Australia-
of total forest cover) that naturally provides a large carbon Pacific Climate Alumni Network in Papua New Guinea.
sink, which means we are still able to save the planet with
urgent climate action. Our rainforests also support a variety The opinions expressed in this article are those of the
of plant and animal species, and are the watersheds for our author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this
mighty rivers, as well as performing their role in regulating publication.
the climate. Despite this incredible resource, PNG swings

44 Islands Business, October 2023