Reports on ADB and PNG projects, country strategies, country strategy reviews and Economic outlook for PNG
The island of New Guinea has an exceptionally high biodiversity, and a large proportion of its fauna and flora is found nowhere else on Earth. Charismatic species such as birds-of-paradise, echidnas and tree kangaroos are widely known and often have great cultural significance for local communities in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Less well known is that the flora and smaller fauna of PNG are not only incredibly diverse but remain poorly documented, and numerous plants and animals that are new to science are being discovered every year.
POLICY PROPOSALS FOR OPEN AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT
An unprecedented increase in oil palm developments may be underway in Papua New Guinea (PNG) through controversial ‘Special Agricultural and Business Leases’ (SABLs) covering over two million ha. Oil palm development can create societal benefits, but doubt has been raised about whether the SABL developers intend establishing plantations. Here we examine the development objectives of these proposals through an assessment of their land suitability, developer experience and capacity, and socio-legal constraints.
The proposed Sustainable Highlands Highway Infrastructure Program (SHHIP) is envisaged as a ten- year, multi-partner, multi-tranche financing facility aiming to restore and upgrade the Highlands Highway in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The executing agency is the PNG Department of Works (DoW). The initial climate screening of SHHIP using AWARE determined the Investment Program to be at medium risk to climate and climate change. As a result, ADB procedures require that a climate risk and vulnerability assessment (CRVA) be undertaken during the design stage.
This chapter provides a brief description of Papua New Guinea, its past and present climate as well as projections for the future. The climate observation network and the availability of atmospheric and oceanic data records are outlined. The annual mean climate, seasonal cycles and the influences of large-scale climate features such as the West Pacific Monsoon and patterns of climate variability (e.g. the El Niño‑Southern Oscillation) are analysed and discussed.