By Harlyne Joku (from PNGs post courier)
Parliament has adopted a paper presented by Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare stressing the need to set up the office of climate change as
a separate legal entity after much debate yesterday afternoon.
Sir Michael highlighted in his paper titled “Climate Policy Challenge and Responsibility” that PNG will control its own destiny in
climate change by setting up the Office of Climate Change as a separate legal entity.
He added that legislation would be introduced to Parliament which would enable the launching of the Office of Climate Change as a separate
legal entity.
“What shape and how that happens will be a matter for Cabinet and ultimately Parliament to decide on,” Sir Michael said.
He added that Cabinet had approved on February 11, the setting up of a board of trustees to ensure that PNG complied with international
treaty obligations relating to climate change and carbon trade issues.
And the board of trustees will ensure proper transparency and account-ability for funds approved by donors for climate change and carbon
trade projects in PNG.
“I can assure Papua New Guinea that my Government will not be party to selling away our people’s rights to their forest resources or park
carbon credit returns in trust mechanisms created in Singapore or Australia to be controlled by unknown persons who are not answerable to
the Government of the day.
“Papua New Guinea will control its own destiny in climate change. The trusts are important for ensuring transparency, audit compliance and
accountability.
“The overall aim is to ensure that the rural communities who own these resources benefit to improve the living standard which is part of
our aims to achieve the millennium development goals.
“The trusts will be taken up in the new draft legislation which will have community input before it goes to Parliament,” Sir Michael said.
Sir Michael said he has told the Office of Climate Change to consult all relevant stakeholders, which includes resource owners, provincial
governments, NGOs, other government agencies, business houses and entities with direct and indirect interests in climate change
projects.
“It is important for the Government to gauge community views, but ultimately the Government will govern for the long term interests of
this country,’’ Sir Michael said. “This Government will not pander to big businessmen driven by self interest or international
organisations coming in to rip the people off.
“Consultation is necessary to take into account community views,” the Prime Minister said.
2 comments:
I am not a climate expert, I have expressed my thought about climate change propaganda as being half true half correct. At this point in time, PNG absolutely does not necessary need diversion of tax money for extra office (I do not say setting up Climate office is stupid), but rather wste of time/money/effort. What is the role of Depth of Environment then? Or rather Disaster office can handle climate change problems by setting up funds for any related disaters such as Sea swel, relocation of people from low lands to high land. Too much focuse and attention is deceptive where development agendas will second class and not priorities. How much has PNG contributed to causing climate change in the past years of development, in fact industrialization is non existent, more than 85% population live in the rural areas and our modern needs are not heightened.
About 5.5 million people of PNG live poor below standard life,poor diets,poor bush material housings,poor infrastructures. What is the measure of development from living style point of view?
For goodness sake, refocuse your attention ,brush off unnecessary objectives,bring down services to PEOPLE!
Leave Climate Change to God!
We would agree with your stance. But the fact that we have an office means that we care about the problem. The funding to that office from our government will be minimal. However, the international community can recognise that and provide funding, in such areas as carbon trading.
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