Climate Change and changes in Papua New Guinea

 

 

Climate Change also known as Global Warming refers to the rise in average temperature of the Earth’s surface.

Primary cause of Climate Change is the burning of fossil fuels. Other causes are the human activities such as deforestation and agriculture. These activities release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.

When more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere than the earth’s ability to consume in process such as photosynthesis (plant food), excess carbon dioxide are gathered in the atmosphere. They then trap the heat from sun when reflected by the earth’s surface. When more heat is trapped, the earth’s temperature rises, causing Climate Change/Global Warming. The following image illustrate the process of Climate Change.

Image of Global Warming, 2012

Effects of Climate Change seen around the world are rise in sea level when ice at the Arctic and Antarctic melt, severe weather events such as monsoon, droughts and bushfires. (Takepart, 2017)

The effects of Climate Change are also felt in Papua New Guinea. The common ones are;

Ø  Rise in sea level

Ø  Unpredicted weather patterns

Ø  Food crops failures and success

 

1)      Rise in sea level

Rise in sea level is common along the coastal areas around PNG. Kang. S and Ajaja. I from UNESCO reported that in 2015, coastal areas which experienced and reported a rise in sea level are Madang, Manus, Morobe, and Mortlock Islands, Carteret and Tinputz areas of Bougainville.

Add caption

 

Rising sea level, Manus

 

1)      Unpredicted Weather Patterns

PNG people normally count from November to March as wet season and from April October as dry season (Kang. S & Ajaja. I, 2015a). However this has changed. Morobe province is experiencing a lot of rain while Eastern Highlands and Simbu Province where experiencing dry season and it is wet season in Western Highlands as reported in 2015.  

2)      Food crops failure and successes

Increase atmospheric carbon will benefit crops that are C₄ convertors (C₄, a carbon compound) such as maize and sugar canes and not C₃ convertors such as wheat and rice. Heavy rainfall will increase coffee and palm oil production (Hansen B., 2013a)

Impacts of Climate Change in PNG

1.      Rising sea level

Already the people along the coastal areas of PNG are losing their fishing grounds. Fish escaped into the open sea or migrated away. Food gardens and shelters are under water now. They are calling on the government to relocate them

2.      Unpredicted weather patterns

Unpredicted weather patterns drought expected wet and dry seasons which affect food production for consumption and sale. Cash crop production is also affected, likewise animal husbandry which then affect the supply and demand dynamics for finished products. Heavy rainfall causes floods and destroy lives of people along river banks. Heavy rainfall also brought disease outbreaks like malaria, diarrhoea, flu and cough. (Hansen B., 2013b)

  

3.      Food crops failures and successes

 

 

High atmospheric carbon content is good for some food crops and not others. So it affects human food preferences and the supply and demand dynamics for food consumption.

Community awareness and mobilisation

A recent Climate Change Campaign conducted by UNDP and the Office of Climate Change and Development in 2014 resolved that PNG is being caught by effects of Climate Change by surprise. Not many people know about the expected effects and impacts of Climate Change, lack knowledge on how to effectively deal with the effects and impacts of Climate Change and the importance of conservation to minimise the impacts of Climate Change.

As their community initiative, UNDP educate people on the importance of mangroves and asked them to plant more and look after mangroves. The campaign aims to cover selected coastal ports of PNG (UNDP in PNG, 2014)

 

Government Initiative

April 2015 PNG Government created a Ministry of Climate Change and is slowly putting together processes and procedures to establish office bearers, develop policies and target indicators and activity plans to effectively educate people on the effects and impacts of Climate Change.

Environmental Acts and Climate Change Policies have been developed to govern the actions of everyone in response to Climate Change (Kang. S & Ajaja. I, 2015b)

A new Climate Compatible Development Policy 2013-2015 was development as well. Among its key priorities, following are some areas of focus for the plan (Forestry and Development, 2013);

Ø  Increase investment in carbon offsetting activities

Ø  A robust information system for Climate Change activities

Ø  Enhancing resilience of vulnerable communities to the risks of Climate Change

Ø  Invest in low carbon infrastructure and green technology

 

 

 

 





 

 

A glimpse of Wewak Town

Hello everyone,

Attached here is a short video showing another typical day of living in the tropical town of Wewak, Papua New Guinea.

Its not much but I hope you like it.

Contents of Extradition Treaty must be published

In light of the Extradition Treaty signed between the Government of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, there has never been on record any citizen of this country living in Indonesia that would warrant such action taken by both governments.

UNHCR confirms over 9,000 West Papuan Refugees living in Papua New Guinea make up our demography; where a good number of them are wanted by the Indonesian government.
It is very clear that the signed Extradition Treaty was initiated by the Indonesian government to extradite those wanted by their own government. We must defend and protect our stock with reference to six (6) Melanesian societies that are part of the global community.
They are; PNG, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and West Papua. The signing of the extradition treaty will in no way protect our Melanesian brothers and sisters who deserve nothing less than their own political freedom.

 The constant torture and killings of West Papuans by Indonesian soldiers across the border is very sensitive and an ongoing issue that cannot continue to be ignored whilst they continue to seek refuge in our country.

 The Prime Minister is reminded that it is the job of the Opposition, not only to take the government to task on matters of National Importance after the event, but to even speculate and take pre-emptive action. This is based on the principle that prevention is better than cure. It goes without saying, that any person or a group of persons, who assume any leadership role on behalf of our people, must accept public scrutiny in both their public and private lives.
The demography of Papua New Guinea is also made up by the West Papuan Community, who are part of us, and therefore it would only seem fair if the extradition treaty was pursued with their participation.

 Public knowledge has it that Djoko Tjandra is a citizen of this country, confirmed by O’Neill in the media last week, and that as a citizen of this country he was not subject to the extradition treaty, raising more suspicion who the extradition treaty was aimed at.
There are thousands of West Papuans living in PNG that do not have citizenship status, making them eligible for extradition if requested by the Indonesian government.
Peter O’Neill must publish the contents of the Extradition Treaty that was signed in Indonesia for public consumption and dispel all misconceptions or be seen as an indecisive leader as history portrays.

 We must always standby our principles even if we end up standing alone because political leadership in this country is not about the former MPs who defected to join the government, it is about 7.5 million citizens in this country, who deserve a government who will fight and defend them at all costs.

Adapted from http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20130626/news05.htm