Papua New Guinea is standing by its decision to pull out of a UN global climate summit. However, climate advocates fear the move will isolate the Pacific nation and put important funding at risk.
COP29 is underway this week in Baku, Azerbaijan, but Papua New Guinea won't be represented.
Prime Minister James Marape said in August the country would not attend the climate summit due to a lack of “quick support to victims of climate change.”
The gathering has long faced criticism that large carbon-emitting countries have not done enough to take meaningful action. Papua New Guinea was among the first nations to say it would not attend due to the failure of other countries to act as they had promised.
The country has a population of about 10 million and lies just north of Australia. The World Wildlife Fund says it is home to the world’s third-largest rainforest.
Papua New Guinea is also considered to be highly vulnerable to climate change.
The Guardian reports that Marape criticized the COP meetings for failing to deliver enough support for small island nations. Papua New Guinea has sent a small delegation of officials, but ministers will not attend high-level discussions.
Leading Papua New Guinea climate advocate Duncan Gabi says the move risks isolating the country. He adds, “Our absence from this gathering will send a disheartening message to the international community.”
