Climate change policy delayed

By MATTHEW VARI

Wednesday, July 24, 2013 (Midweek Chronicle, PNG)

THE Office of Climate Change and Development (OCCD) is still without a policy to guide it to carry out its mandated functions- it was revealed at the Media Workshop on Climate Change, held last week in Port Moresby.

In his opening address, the Minister for Forests and Climate Change, Patrick Pruaitch emphasized that time was running out, and as a responsible government they were finalising a policy from which legislation would be based on, to mitigate and adapt the devastating effects of climate change.

Responding to questions on how long before the policy would be finalised, he said since it had been deferred twice- he hoped the end of July would be the last deferment. 

“We are working very hard to get it tabled, and like I said it’s everybody’s business and we’re giving the opportunity to everyone to debate it.”

“Hopefully your interaction with OCCD will also have some input in us finalising the policy,” he told the media.

When asked why the Climate change office is only based in Port Moresby, and if the government had plans to open offices in other provinces- even making the OCCD a department of its own.

Minister Pruaitch said it all went back to having the proper policy and legislation to back it up.

“In anything we do, we need our legs to stand up on, and that is the policy.”

“Having a policy will ensure that we have legislation in place, that will enable us to regulate behaviour and operation as an office of contact,” he said.

He, however, added it did not mean provincial governments were limited to national legislation- saying that they could start up their own Climate Change committees, a step the Morobe Provincial Government had taken.

Mr Pruaitch referred to provisions of the organic law on provincial governments who can set up committees that will assist with the needs of the respective provinces.

“As far as we are concerned, my view is that if we want to achieve a lot more we have to do it properly with legislation capturing all aspects on a national scale.”

He attributed some of the delay to the need for more consultation and awareness from the wider part of the country.

The OCCD’s nationwide climate change consultation and awareness program has already covered 16 provinces in the country.

Executive Director for OCCD, Varigini Badira, informed those present that any questions about the feedback of Papua New Guineans around the country regarding the policy have been uploaded on their website at www.occ.gov.pg.

It contains all the reports, the questionnaires, the workshops that have been conducted around the country and the results of feedback received.

The office also has a facebook page that enables the public to ask questions and have them answered regarding OCCD’s role and what they have been doing in regards to the progress of the climate change policy.