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Dedicated to climate adaption in the Pacific

Meet the people working at local level to build the resilience of communities

By UNDP in Asia & the Pacific

June 5^th, 2017

In Papua New Guinea, a small island developing state with much of its population living along the coast or in remote mountainous areas, the impacts of climate change are increasingly apparent: as rainfall patterns shift and sea levels rise, communities are experiencing more severe droughts, floods, salinity and coastal erosion.

In response, UNDP is supporting the Government to raise awareness and adaptive capacity of coastal and riverine communities to the hazards. With a 2-3 degree future expected to bring with it even more extreme weather, this work is ever more important.

So is the role of qualified, local technical specialists like Gwen Maru, a Programme Analyst with the Energy and Environment unit at UNDP Papua New Guinea. We sat down to talk with her about her experience working for UNDP and the causes for concern but also optimism.

MEET GWEN MARU

Dedicated to climate adaption in the Pacific

Gwen, you've been working for UNDP for around eleven years now. What are your roles and responsibilities?

I manage the office’s Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Programme, and am the Task Team Leader for the United Nations Development Assistance Framework Pillar on Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management. Currently I am also the interim Cluster Coordinator for UNDAF Pillar on Planet.

In these roles, I engage with partners in government, the private sector, civil society and communities to speak openly about climate change-related issues affecting the country. I also provide policy and technical advice, conduct reviews and analyses, and formulate programmes and projects, drawing on the wealth of experience available globally through UNDP, as well as local knowledge and expertise in responding to climate change impacts.

Working for UNDP really gives me the opportunity to serve my country in the areas of climate change, biodiversity conservation and disaster risk management.

PNG has a very high level of forest cover, at around 80 per cent. Two million hectares are managed as ‘protected areas’.

The forests host a unique range of plants and animals, including tree kangaroos which inhabit the lowland and mountainous areas

What are some of the vulnerabilities PNG communities face now and in a world which is 2-3 degrees warmer?

With the rise in temperature causing more ice to melt in the polar areas, sea levels are rising and projected to continue to rise. Consequently, people living along the coastline of island atolls are increasingly vulnerable to having to vacate their island homes due to coastline erosion. The erosion may even eventually result in the islands ‘sinking’.

Meanwhile, people living along river banks are affected by floods caused by heavy rainfall, their houses and gardens at threat of being washed away.

75% of the population of PNG is dependent on subsistence agriculture

What are the changes have you seen in your community and in PNG (more broadly) in terms of climate and weather?

I grew up in Moem Barracks, Wewak, East Sepik Province.

As a girl, enjoying the scenery was a good distraction (growing up was tough: in my family there were high expectations – especially for me as a girl – and there were no excuses for poor-performance at school, even with household chores!). Wewak has one of the most beautiful coastlines in the country, unspoiled mangrove forests, long white sandy beaches with a pristine coastline and abundant marine life. In those early years, while I didn’t know about the sport of surfing, I would spend almost the entire weekend with friends at beaches and watch others use old plywood as a board to ride a high wave.

For various reasons, though, the environment has changed over the years and it worries me.

I’ve seen the impacts of climate change first-hand – for example, coastal erosion, driven by a rising sea level, has submerged some villages and other important sites such as cemeteries. For island and coastal communities, increased soil salinity and inundation of water wells are threatening food security. The changing weather patterns mean the highlands regions and other parts of PNG have experienced both droughts and floods caused by continuous rainfall.

Climate change is greatly concerning and should not be taken lightly. Over time, the impacts will affect PNG’s capacity to meet the development aspirations of its growing population. The increase in extreme weather will put lives and infrastructure at risk, with a high probability of higher costs in both responding and recovering from disasters.

A related issue is how the displacement of communities may prompt people to migrate to places where there are no opportunities, leading to conflicts over space and resources.

Scientific studies have confirmed the rising acidity of our oceans will have an impact on people and economies that depend on marine resources.

Mangrove trees protect coastal land from erosion and reclaim lands from the expanding sea.

Eighty-five per cent of PNG's population live in rural areas and seventy-five per cent of households depend on subsistence agriculture.

In PNG’s North Coast and Islands regions, flooding threatens coastal populations and important economic centers

What are the challenges in addressing climate change in PNG?

One of the main challenges is a lack of awareness, particularly in rural areas where the impacts of climate change are evident yet there is not the information to properly identify and respond to it.

Many people in rural areas don’t have access to newspapers, radio, internet and mobile phones. There are also not enough people who understand and can communicate confidently about the issues. This is a big obstacle, so when I visit communities, I try to explain in simple terms and using relevant local examples.

To create more awareness of adaptation measures people can take to protect themselves, we are conducting a range of activities through our project, ‘Enhancing Adaptive Capacity of Communities in Papua New Guinea’. For example, if a high tide reaches a village’s bore water supply, then we advise them to either purchase a water tank or dig a well water far away from the coast.

We provide as much information as we can for people to be responsive to the changes happening around them.

It has been an enriching experience seeing rural communities persevere for a better living, despite their difficult circumstances.

How do you think communities in PNG will benefit from having better weather and climate information, one of the core goals of the projects you are working on?

Communities are becoming more aware of the impacts of climate change, because they are seeing and experiencing the changes for themselves. But they need more information, so they can make better decisions.

Papua New Guinea, being close to the equator, falls within the moist tropical rainforest zone with high to very high rainfall.

The country is prone to inland and coastal flooding. These events impact communities' livelihoods, infrastructure and agriculture.

Early-warning systems enable local communities to cope with floods. Floods are set to become more frequent with climate change.

What is one of your key achievements in your role?

There are few significant achievements of which I am proud. However, a highlight for me is the contributions I made to the formulation of PNG’s Climate Change Policy (2014). This policy is a very important guide for the Government in ensuring a sustainable future.

Prior to the year 2000, the effects of climate change were recognized as a threat to people and their livelihoods – however, in the absence of a policy framework, responses and adaptive measures were handled sectorally, and on adhoc basis (and in some instances, with no support for very rural and isolated communities).

Following PNG’s commitment to address climate change issues at the UN Climate Change Conference in 2005, the need to work together and to formulate a policy became apparent. After personally attending the UN Conference in 2007, I began to coordinate UNDP’s support to the Climate Change Development Authority.

Now, we can use the policy as a guide for our plans and strategies, including mobilizing national and international finance to address climate change impacts.

PNG’s Climate Change Policy (2014) is a very important guide for the Government in ensuring a sustainable future

What is your expectation of the communities in PNG where you work with?

I strongly encourage them to put into practice the adaptation measures UNDP and our partners have been trialing in the communities. In that way, they are responsive to the changes and together we will achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of protecting our environment: the land, air and water.

To compliment and extend the work of the project, Enhancing Adaptive Capacity of Communities in Papua New Guinea’, the Government of Papua New Guinea and UNDP, together with other partners, is currently preparing a proposal for submission to the Green Climate Fund. Click here to read more.

Footnotes

Photo credit: UNDP Papua New Guinea. For updates on the work of UNDP Papua New Guinea, like 'UNDP in Papua New Guinea' on Facebook. Contact the office at registry.pg@undp.org

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FootNotes

Photo credit: UNDP Papua New Guinea. For updates on the work of UNDP Papua New Guinea, like 'UNDP in Papua New Guinea' on Facebook. Contact the office at [email protected]

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