Papua New Guinea Submits First 2016 Climate Plan Under Paris Agreement

Summary: Papua New Guinea submits first 2016 climate plan under Paris Agreement for logging into UN Climate Change Secretariat's NDC Registry.

Lush greenery of Papua New Guinea's dense rainforests contrasts with Australia's landscape, as viewed from space: NASA World Wind, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

On Thursday, March 24, with the 2016 Earth Day signing ceremony only 30 days away, Papua New Guinea submits the first 2016 climate plan under the 2015 Paris Agreement to the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat in Bonn, Germany.

“I congratulate Papua New Guinea on this first NDC,” Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat, states in an announcement released Tuesday, March 29, by the United Nations Climate Change Newsroom.

The climate change executive secretary explains the context of Papua New Guinea’s significant formal submission.

“Before the UN climate change conference in Paris, the international community had already envisioned an unprecedented response with almost every nation on Earth setting out their preliminary action plans to address climate change. These provide the foundation upon which the world will over time strengthen their ability to keep a global temperature rise well under 2 degrees C if not 1.5 degrees C, and build resilient societies,” Christiana Figueres notes.

“Much more remains to be done but NDCs under the Paris Agreement represent one of the next key steps alongside the opening for signature of the Agreement in New York on April 22 en route to it swiftly coming into force,” the UN Climate Change executive secretary observes.

The 21st annual Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held from Monday, Nov. 30, to Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015. Prior to COP21, participating countries were encouraged to submit intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) that identified national climate action strategies that contribute to the global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

After adoption of the Paris Agreement by consensus at the close of COP21, the 2016 Earth Day signing ceremony at United Nations headquarters in New York figures as the next major step within the United Nations climate change framework. The Paris Agreement takes effect within 30 days of signed acceptance by at least 55 countries that account for a global greenhouse gas emissions total of at least 55 percent.

Papua New Guinea’s submission of the first climate plan under the Paris Agreement points to the landmark agreement’s authority to accept formal commitments to climate change actions. Previously communicated intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) now undergo formalized submission as nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

In addition to congratulating Papua New Guinea for the first 2016 climate plan under the Paris Agreement, the UN Climate Change Newsroom release also announces the creation of a new page, NDC Registry, on the website for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The creation of the NDC Registry complies with the Paris Agreement’s provision, via Article 4, paragraph 12, that “Nationally determined contributions communicated by Parties shall be recorded in a public registry maintained by the secretariat.”

The Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG) submitted its intended nationally determined contribution in September 2015.

“GoPNG is informing the UNFCCC Secretariat that we are satisfied with our INDC becoming our first NDC and our INDC can be uploaded to the interim registry of NDCs,” Joe Pokana, acting managing director of Papua New Guinea’s Climate Change and Development Authority, states in a cover letter to Christiana Figueres.

Papua New Guinea's submission March 24, 2016, counts as first climate action plan under 2015 Paris Agreement: Christiana Figueres @CFigueres via Twitter March 29, 2016

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Papua New Guinea: NASA World Wind, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PNG-climate.png

Papua New Guinea's submission March 24, 2016, counts as first climate action plan under 2015 Paris Agreement: Christiana Figueres @CFigueres via Twitter March 29, 2016, @ https://twitter.com/CFigueres/status/714827162176593920

For further information:

Christiana Figueres @CFigueres. "Congrats, Papua New Guinea, 1st country to send in #climateaction plan under #ParisAgreement." Twitter. March 29, 2016.
Available @ https://twitter.com/CFigueres/status/714827162176593920

“NDC Registry.” United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Available @ http://unfccc.int/focus/ndc_registry/items/9433.php

“Papua New Guinea Sends in First Climate Plan under Paris Agreement; UNFCCC Secretariat Starts New List of NDCs.” UN Climate Change Newsroom. March 29, 2016.
Available @ http://newsroom.unfccc.int/unfccc-newsroom/papua-new-guinea-sends-in-first-climate-plan-under-paris-agreement/