Flannery to Call on the Industrialised World to Pay Carbon Debt

20 August 2007

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. World renowned Australian scientist and author, Tim Flannery, called on the industrialised world to pay its carbon debt in a public lecture in Port Moresby on Monday 20th August.

Professor Flannery argued that the industrialised world has caused global climate change by imposing a debt of 200 gigatonnes of carbon as a result of over-industrialisation and affluence. Developed nations can repay their carbon debt - and help address poverty - by supporting communities in countries like PNG to protect their forests.

Professor Flannery knows PNG well from his early days as a young researcher in the Highlands. He has written a number of books on PNG, including Throwim Away Leg and Mammals of New Guinea. He holds strong views on the importance of conserving the extraordinary natural resources of the country – most especially its forests and the wildlife that the forests sustain.

Professor Flannery is very concerned to ensure that Papua New Guineans – especially rural landowners – benefit from funds that may flow from new carbon trading systems for what is called ‘avoided deforestation’ – a term that simply means not chopping down trees. His lecture explored innovative ways that village communities can be rewarded for managing their forests to save carbon.

Professor Tim Flannery, delivered the lecture at the Holiday Inn in Port Moresby at 7.30 pm on behalf of WWF and the PNG Institute of National Affairs.

Conservation Strategies Manager for WWF-PNG, Mr. Robert Bino, said

“Uncontrolled logging is a major contributor to climate change. Less than one per cent of forestry operations in PNG are certified as sustainable. The rest are adding to the climate problem.” “Communities that own forested land should be supported to earn an income from not logging their forests or managing them sustainably for future generations,”

said Mr Bino.

Professor Flannery and WWF will be raising awareness of the serious threat of climate change and suggesting actions that ordinary Papua New Guineans can take to combat it.

WWF, with Professor Flannery’s support, is inviting Papua New Guinea decision makers to take this unique opportunity to explore ways of engaging with communities to protect their forests for reasons of kastom, food gathering, biodiversity protection and to bring much needed economic development.

Professor Flannery will meet with Prime Minister, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare MP who has positioned Papua New Guinea well for this new initiative with his leadership of the Coalition of Rainforest Nations.

For further information please contact the media team:

Lydia Kaia, Communications Officer, WWF Papua New Guinea. t: +675 320 0149, f: +675 320 0519.

Robert Bino, Conservation Strategies Manager, WWF Papua New Guinea t: +675 320 0149 m: +675 689 3259.