Papua New Guinea is preparing its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) under the Paris Agreement, covering the period 2025–2035, which will serve as the country’s primary framework for climate action. NDCs outline national targets and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance climate resilience, and support sustainable development.
The Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA), with technical support from UNDP, convened the first stakeholder meeting to review progress, confirm institutional roles, and advance the NDC 3.0 preparation. Key government agencies, development partners, and technical experts participated to discuss the integrated workplan and the Zero Draft of the new NDC. Mr. William Lakain, General Manager for Measurement, Reporting and Verification at CCDA, emphasized NDC 3.0’s central role in guiding national mitigation, adaptation, and resilience measures while aligning climate action with Papua New Guinea’s broader development priorities.
The draft NDC 3.0 incorporates several major enhancements, including strengthened mitigation targets across the energy, agriculture, forestry, and land-use sectors, expanded adaptation priorities covering health, transport, agriculture, and infrastructure, and the introduction of a stand-alone Loss and Damage chapter. Cross-cutting priorities such as Nature-Based Solutions, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), and the engagement of youth and children have also been integrated. A roadmap toward national validation and submission in 2026 was confirmed, including sectoral technical committees, nationwide consultations, and intensive drafting sessions to consolidate contributions.
UNDP reaffirmed its technical support through the Climate Promise initiative, providing policy guidance, inter-agency coordination, inclusive stakeholder engagement, capacity building for the energy component, gender and youth mainstreaming, and the integration of AI-driven nature–climate solutions. Collaboration also involves partners such as the NDC Partnership, ESCAP, ADB, GGGI, UNICEF, and Expertise France under the EU-funded Forestry, Climate Change and Biodiversity Programme to ensure the NDC is technically robust, nationally owned, and ready for implementation.
A draft Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Framework was reviewed and positively received. This framework is designed to ensure that NDC 3.0 delivers inclusive development outcomes, strengthening the participation of women, youth, and vulnerable groups in the climate transition. A dedicated consultation workshop will further refine the framework with sector-specific inputs.
The Inter-Agency Core Group formally endorsed its mandate, reinforcing a whole-of-government approach to climate action and confirming shared responsibility for achieving Papua New Guinea’s climate commitments. The strengthened collaboration between government institutions and development partners underscores the country’s commitment to raising ambition, building resilience, and translating climate commitments into tangible action on the ground.
