PNG to have climate change diplomats

Caption: OCCD Executive Director Varigini Badira.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, August 17, 2014 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

IN what is a world first, the government has approved the posting of climate change attachés in three foreign missions overseas in a bid to effectively address the effects of climate change.

This follows the announcement of the approval of the new national climate change policy last week by the Office of Climate Change and Development (OCCD).

Executive Director of OCCD Varigini Badira said the new arrangement is the first of its kind to be practiced in the world, giving the country a strategic advantage in terms of accessing funds from developed countries through funds like the Global Climate Fund.

“Cabinet has approved the strategic setup of attachés in the international level so climate change attachés, who will be based in Brussels in Belgium, Seoul in South Korea, and Washington in the US, who will support our foreign missions and also source financing and technical support in each of those regions to PNG,” Mr Badira said.

“We need to set up a conduit that we can link to global resources and assistance and how we channel that right down to the community level, which is the important question.”

“Seoul is where the headquarters of the Global Climate Change Fund, officers will be based there to network with the green climate fund.”

He said that the move showed to the world community that the government is taking the lead and has re-emphasized its commitment to communities on how serious it is about addressing climate change in the country and region.