Climate trust fund to assist most affected communities

Caption:   George Romilly (second from right seated) addressing participants at the workshop.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, September 22, 2013 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

Under the Strategic Program for Climate Resilience (SPCR) a climate change trust fund will be established to assist the most vulnerable communities in the country threatened by the effects of climate change, which was revealed at the SPCR workshop held at Crown Plaza in Port Moresby.

The trust fund will be established with US$10 million provided to Papua New Guinea through the US$30 million grant given by the Climate Investment Fund (CIF).

PNG has received its funding through the fund’s Pilot Program for Climate Resilience, which is a pilot program, with PNG being one of 14 countries selected for the initiative. 

Under the programs countries have been given various amounts to help them develop ways where they can alleviate climate risks in their respective nations and the setting up of a national trust fund solely for vulnerable communities is a recommendation.

Team leader of the Technical Assessment team for the SPCR, George Romilly said that the trust fund would need to be established into law and stressed the importance of the state’s involvement through it key departments.

When asked when it will be established and how communities can access funding, Mr Romilly said that they aimed to have the fund legally established in June next year.

“When established- communities that are threatened by climate change effects can get in touch with the Office of Climate Change and Development (OCCD) who will assist them with planning.”

“Through the OCCD, they will assist them map, do surveys, and identify the problem to initiates plans, then write a short proposal to the trust fund for assessment,” he explained.

Ursula Rakova from the Carteret Islands NGO group said that when approved the trust fund will assist communities like the Carteret islanders of Bougainville who have had sourcing for fundscomingfrom only overseas donors with their relocation program.

The outcome of the pilot will enable the CIF to identify the best programs developed and provide more funding in the years to come to developing countries when the fund will be handling US$100 billion by the year 2020.

CIF is currently responsible for $US8 billion that has been given by major industrialized countries, who have been major contributors to global warming though industrial pollution, to developing countries in the world.