Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Marape declines COP29 participation, Calls for greater commitment to rainforest conservation

Excerpt and Photo from pina.com.fj

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape, has confirmed he will not attend the upcoming United Nations Global Climate Summit (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, citing the lack of global commitment to rainforest conservation as a primary reason.

Prime Minister Marape announced that Minister for Environment, Conservation, and Climate Change, Simo Kilepa, will represent Papua New Guinea at COP29 with a streamlined delegation.

The team’s primary focus will be to advocate for PNG’s bid to host the Green Climate Fund Board meeting next year, showcasing the nation’s commitment to climate leadership and green financing initiatives.

Prime Minister Marape expressed concern over the failure of high-emission nations to implement key aspects of the Paris Agreement, particularly Article 5 and Article 6, which focus on conserving greenhouse gas sinks and reservoirs, including forests, and creating a framework for international cooperation on carbon markets.