Prime Minister Hon. James Marape, GCL, MP, has issued a strong demand to industrial nations to stop their carbon emissions and do more to mitigate the impact of sea-level rise threats for Papua New Guinea and small island Pacific countries.
The Prime Minister was speaking this morning at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Plenary Meeting on Addressing the Existential Threats Posed by Sea-Level Rise at the United Nations Building, New York City, when he issued the call.
Expressing deep frustration with empty promises, the Prime Minister noted that while climate conversations have remained at the forefront of international diplomacy, actual mitigation from big polluters has been minimal.
“Stop your carbon emissions. We must secure our planet and our future,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“There is only one planet for all of us. Rich or poor, big or small, powerful or not powerful, it does not matter. If we destroy this planet, we pass a ruined world to our children. Sea-level rise is here amidst us, and we must act now. It is enough of talking.”
Prime Minister Marape outlined a practical roadmap to help maritime nations adapt and protect themselves:
Minimize Carbon Footprints: All nations with large carbon footprints must minimize their emissions and migrate away from fossil fuels to clean energy immediately.
Economic Independence Over Grants: Rejecting the traditional cycle of international charity, the Prime Minister declared that PNG has enough in its own economy to grow and does not beg for grants or aid.
Trade Support for Sustainable Resources: He called on global markets to buy Pacific products, particularly sustainably managed fisheries.
Backing the Pacific Resilience Facility: The Prime Minister demanded that those who claim to be friends of the Pacific stop talking and immediately back the Pacific Resilience Facility to support localized adaptation.
Support for Land Reclamation: Small island states must be supported as they seek to reclaim and engineer their lands to adapt to the shifting climate reality.
Listening to preceding remarks of Tuvalu Prime Minister Hon. Feleti Teo while awaiting his slot to speak, Prime Minister Marape offered the support of Papua New Guinea to Tuvalu and all front-line small island states of the Pacific.
“I offer my support to the Prime Minister of Tuvalu as we advocate against sea- level rise,” Prime Minister Marape noted.
“This crisis is currently affecting close to one billion people living in low-lying areas of the world, including our Pacific island countries like Tuvalu. PNG has over
600 low-lying islands, and our Mortlock and Carteret island experiences represent the world’s first climate change refugees.”
Reflecting the deep connection that Pacific people hold with their ancestral land, Prime Minister Marape explained that when the State previously relocated these communities to higher ground, they chose to return because of these strong ancestral connections.
“Our people love their island homes because of deep roots,” the Prime Minister said. “Hence, today we are working to restore and maintain their livelihoods directly on their islands by providing clean water, solar electricity, and regular shipping lines. Moving forward, we will work with land reclamation and coastal protection to preserve their homes.”
Through this high-level address, Papua New Guinea re-establishes its place on the global stage as a nation that refuses to be treated as a victim, demanding immediate global accountability while actively pursuing its own climate resilience.