<< Back to Papua New Guinea Country Profile

Recent years have witnessed a broadening of development thinking and greater emphasis on integrated work methods and sustainable development planning. Global conventions and agreements have altered the way development is viewed, such as the Millennium Development Goals [MDGs, 2000], the World Summit on Sustainable Development [WSSD, 2002] the 3rd World Water Forum [2003] and the upcoming review of the Barbados Programme of Action for Small Island Developing States [BPOA+10, 2004].

In preparation and response to this broadening development focus, the Pacific island nations and states have been called to prepare a series of national review reports assessing in a holistic manner, for the first time, a broad perspective of issues, problems and priorities.

Prior to the WSSD, each Pacific Island Country was called upon to create a National Assessment Report, with the aim of summarising in one document all the critical sustainable development issues faced by each country. While these documents remain incomplete for some countries, they represent an important audit of current and emerging issues, and provide an invaluable overview for organisations such as SOPAC in planning work implementation and in consultations with countries.

Papua New Guinea’s National Assessment Report is currently unavailable. Various national and development reports of PNG is available however, and this document highlights a number of critical sustainable development issues highlighted in these reports. These reports include the national report to the Ocean Forum, the National Report to the 3rd World Water Forum to name a few. The reports drew upon consultations with various interest groups and taskforces representing a wide cross section of the national community. The reports raises issues in a number of areas of particular relevance to SOPAC’s mandate, such as the environment, disaster mitigation and management, marine resources, mineral and groundwater resources, information and communication technology services, energy, water and sewerage. These issues can be subdivided along the three ‘pillars’ of sustainable development: environmental, social and economic concerns. Those issues particularly related to the technical assistance and capacity that SOPAC offers are summarised below:

Environmental Concerns:

• Sustainable management of marine resources [fishing and offshore mining in particular]
• Water Resources management
• Island Vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change
• Lack of understanding and care for the environment on the part of multinational corporations effecting land displacement, pollution of natural resource and surrounding ecosystems and degradation of natural forests.

Social Concerns:

• Networking – lack of integrated approach leading to duplication in the areas of ocean governances and natural resource management.
• Lack of awareness of rights and data management
• Capacity Building
• Lack of appropriate technology for water supply and wastewater treatment
• Gender inequality in decision making for the provision of water resources

Economic Concerns:

• Lack of financial resources and capital assets
• A heavy dependence on donor agencies for continual human resource development, capacity building and financing of infrastructure.