Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape [Source: AAP Image/Lukas Coch]

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, James Marape, has confirmed he will not attend the upcoming United Nations Global Climate Summit COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Marape has cited the lack of global commitment to rainforest conservation as a primary reason.

He notes that COP summits have frequently overlooked the critical role of rainforests in climate change mitigation.

Rainforests, such as those in Papua New Guinea, are home to diverse ecosystems and act as powerful carbon sinks, absorbing vast amounts of CO2 and producing oxygen.

Marape has called on high-emission nations to move beyond “meaningless talkfests” and take concrete steps to support rainforest conservation.

He adds that the world must take rainforest conservation seriously as a cornerstone of climate action.

He expressed hope that COP30, set to take place in Brazil a fellow rainforest-rich nation will prioritize rainforest conservation and reforestation.

He announced that Minister for Environment, Conservation, and Climate Change, Simo Kilepa, will represent Papua New Guinea at COP29 with a streamlined delegation.

The team’s primary focus will be to advocate for PNG’s bid to host the Green Climate Fund Board meeting next year, showcasing the nation’s commitment to climate leadership and green financing initiatives.

The PNG PM expressed concern over the failure of high-emission nations to implement key aspects of the Paris Agreement.

PNG’s decision to protest by not attending COP29 signals its commitment to prioritizing impactful climate strategies and holding global stakeholders accountable.

The Prime Minister emphasized that, despite commitments, large industrialized countries with significant carbon footprints have not fully upheld the obligations, both at government and industrial levels.