PNG urged to propose funding

Green Climate Fund alternate board member Sally Truong

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, December 4, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

PAPUA New Guinea’s ratification to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the legislations of the country’s Climate Compatible Development Management Policy, and after the formation of the national designated authority in the Climate Change Development Authority (CCDA)- the country has been urged to submit as many proposals to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) after satisfying all requirements.

The call was made from Green Climate Fund alternate board member Sally Truong when presenting the reach of the GCF in the Pacific Region.

In terms of how the pacific has fared in that equation, the fund has approved US$67 (K200) million to the pacific for two proposals so far.

“She urged stakeholders addressing climate change in the country to work with the CCDA through accredited organizations with the fund to develop project proposals for funding consideration.

“The first is a $31 million proposal that Fiji is taking aboard with Asian Development Bank for waste water, and water supply proposal and the second is a $36 million proposal from Tuvalu for coastal protection and adaptation,” Truong said.

“Considering the scale of the approvals have gone to these countries I think the pacific is starting pretty well.”

“We expect the Samoa Board meeting that will happen next month in December that a further 10 proposals will come forward to the board and of those we expect 3 additional pacific proposals so they will be likely to be one from Samoa on integrated flood management, one from Vanuatu on climate information systems and one from the ADB (Asian Development Bank) which is across 7 countries in the Pacific looking at the Pacific Renewable Energy Program.”

She said under the fund, they have funded project ranging from agricultural practices, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.

“So it is quite a diverse fund and those investment areas allows for enough room for a number of climate proposals to come forward.”

“So if all of the proposals coming from Samoa are approved- the Pacific will have over US$170 (over K500) million which is I think is pretty fantastic achievement and we are really hopeful that those three proposals will be approved by the board next year.”

“So as you can see there is ample opportunity for the Pacific to benefit from the GCF, The Green Climate Fund is also support the pacific through US$1.3 million in readiness funding. This is to help provide the capacity building for countries to engage with the fund and strengthen their ability to manage funding.”

She gave an insight into the preference of projects that the GCF board may strongly consider from paradigm shifting transformation proposals that will deliver impact at scale, to proposals to be business unusual, proposals to leverage funding from governments themselves, privates sector, or from other sources such as bilateral donors.

“It is really looking for the fund to use the investments they can invest in to really capitalize and drive increased growth in climate investments.”

“GCF also has a very strong gender policy, again at the outset wants very strong focus on Gender strong impact and plans on Gender.”

“Want evidence and affected communities and stakeholders have been consulted in the development of project proposals so that is a key kind of thing to ensure that country ownership that everybody including not only government agencies but also CSOs (Civil Society Organisations), affected communities have been consulted,” she explained.

She made it known that the board of the GCF has not set any quotas coming from anyone particular country, nor does it allocation to any country in particular.

“What I am saying to you is please submit more proposals from your country and to do that in a way that it partners with people to the best of your ability.”

“I strongly encourage the PNG government, and it’s great to see that you have already been partnering with a range of accredited entities including the Asian Development Bank and UNDP to think aobut project proposals and bring them forward.”