PNG stalling UN climate talks:Greenpeace

Greenpeace has criticised Papua New Guinea for stalling crucial global climate
change talks in China.
Delegates from more than 170 countries are meeting in Tianjin, China to try to
revive UN climate negotiations that failed to create a binding agreement in
Copenhagen last year.
The talks are a prelude to a UN summit starting next month in Mexico, but the US on
Wednesday said they had so far failed to make significant progress.
The global bickering centres on the details of the complex UN plan to reduce climate
change through its Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD)
agenda.
PNG, as co-chair of the REDD negotiations, is arguing for less scrutiny on donor
funding as a way to fast-track the process.
But Greenpeace forests campaigner in PNG, Sam Moko, said this was a worry showing
PNG appeared more interested in donor money than seriously tackling climate change.
"With a reputation of corruption, complete disregard for land owner rights, free and
prior informed consent and accurate estimations of likely benefits accruing from
REDD, PNG is in no fit state to be receiving REDD funding without strict conditions
in place," he said.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific's Paul Winn, who is at the discussions in China, said
PNG was putting the REDD process at risk of failure.
"The PNG delegation is using its position to keep stakeholders, such as green groups
and indigenous people's groups, away from the meetings in an attempt to keep rules
on social and biodiversity safeguards out of the REDD framework."
The PNG prime minister's office did not return AAP's calls and emails to clarify its
position or answer Greenpeace's criticisms.
On September 23, PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, 74, who wants to forge
combating climate change as his legacy before retiring, told UN meetings in New York
that REDD must go ahead.
But Sir Michael was critical of the World Bank and the UN "tangling us in endless
process and conditionalities".
"REDD and all its co-benefits can no longer be held hostage by UN negotiations that
are mired in self serving inaction," Sir Michael said.
"While we must support the UN process where possible, we must steadfastly refuse to
let the bureaucracy impede our progress".
PNG has been plagued by a litany of scandals and corruption allegations surrounding
its REDD efforts.



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