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2015 Project Activity Highlights
1. Climate Finance e-learning course [21st February 2015]
Six (6) TIPNG staff completed Unit 1 of the Climate Finance e-learning course and received their certificates on the same day. The course is part of one of RGFI’s objectives to increase the capacity of citizens to be informed about climate financing. Unit.2 Corruption & Solutions and Unit.3 Building Integrity in REDD+ is scheduled to be taken over the next few months.
2. Mobile ALAC & RGFI in Manus Province [22nd-26th February 2015]
Awareness on good & transparent forest governance and the role of ALAC in fighting corruption was conducted in Jakal and Butchou village halls on 24th February and 26th February respectively.
3. REDD+ Risk Assessment Response Dialogue [25th March 2015]
TIPNG launched the REDD+ Risk Assessment which highlights the potential corruption risks that pose a threat to effective REDD+ implementation. After the launch, stakeholders had the opportunity to respond to the REDD+ Assessment as TIPNG acknowledges that there have been significant developments and changes made since 2013. Stakeholders from State agencies, the Suau LLG President and WCS responded with their recommendations on how to address the corruption risks.
4. PNG Forest Certification Group Workshop [12th March 2015]
The workshop, facilitated by FORCERT, focussed on informing participants of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certification standards and highlighted key areas for improvement on a national scale.
5. Presentation of Manus & Suau Findings [29th April 2015]
Findings from TIPNG's Suau and Manus outreaches were presented to relevant stakeholders, academics and interested participants this month. The information gathered from the various Suau trips in 2014 and the Manus trip earlier this year was shared with stakeholders and how some of the issues or grievances can be resolved. Moreover calling on the collective effort of all agencies concerned to work together in coming up with applicable strategies towards addressing the findings.
6. Climate Governance Integrity Program Regional Meeting [08th May 2015]
Transparency International Kenya chapter hosted the Climate Governance Integrity Program CGIP regional meeting this year. It was held to develop and pursue climate finance actions nationally and regionally. It was an opportunity for other TI chapters to increase their knowledge and understanding of corruption risks in climate finance, as well as, anti-corruption solutions and tools to address the risks.
Some of the TIPNG Staff pose with their certificates upon completion of the course units.
TIPNG Chairman Lawrence Stephens together with other dignatories at the launch of the REDD+ Risk Assessment Report.
The REDD+ Wish Tree.
Participants at the Manus & Suau Presentation wrote their wishes on what they wanted in REDD+ and pasted them on the wish tree.
2014 Project Activity Highlights
REDD+ Governance & Finance Integrity (RGFI) Project Activities in 2014
1. TIPNG Exhibition in Lae – Morobe Province [28th-29th March 2014]
The attraction of the REDD+ Governance Integrity Booth was the “REDD+ WISH TREE”. Visitors to the booth had a chance to write their wishes and stick them to the leafless braches. By the end of the two days, the exhibition tree was filled with leaves of REDD+ wishes from children and adults after learning about REDD+ governance and how corruption can hinder REDD+ development. TI’s emphasis for REDD+ is focused on greater citizen participation and demand for accountability on REDD+ governance and finance. At the end of the day the forests belong to the people and the benefits received from the forest must go to the rightful landowners.
2. Summary of Central Suau Visits in 2014
The year 2014 primarily focused on one of the six (6) REDD+ pilot sites in the country for REDD+ Governance and Finance Integrity project in Central Suau and has been one of the REDD+ project site moving forward with the development of REDD+.
Comprising a total of four (4) visits in 2014, three (3) of those visits have been awareness outreaches and gathering information on the knowledge gaps and people’s views on what more they would like to be informed with regard to REDD+, the forestry sector and its related fields of implications in REDD+ development. The remaining visit was TIPNG’s participation in the stakeholder workshop for Central Suau’s Project Design Document (PDD), in which TIPNG contributed towards the importance of good governance to be an integral part of the design documentThere is the need for more awareness on Climate Change and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) in communities. We at Transparency International PNG REDD Governance & Finance Integrity project are working towards overcoming that challenge by conducting capacity assessments that are specifically focussing on Central Suau. With the lessons learned from past trips, steps and measures were put in place to get maximum output from the conducted visits/workshops.
2.1 Capacity Needs Assessment on Knoweladge & General Awareness of REDD+ in Central Suau [13th-18th June 2014]
The need for further awareness on climate change and REDD+ in communities is repeatedly highlighted as a significant challenge yet to overcome. There are six REDD+ demonstration sites in Papua New Guinea currently coordinated by the PNG Forest Authority (PNGFA), two of which are currently active; including Central Suau in Milne Bay Province and April Salumei in the East Sepik Province. Despite the fact that the need for awareness has been frequently mentioned, no better strategies have been developed to address this. REDD+ awareness needs a coordinated and collaborative approach from the project implementers/developers and other stakeholders.
2.2 Provincial Stakeholder Workshop on Project Design Document (PDD) Development for Forest Carbon Project in Central Suau [04th September 2014]
Transparency International PNG Inc. was fortunate to be invited to attend and participate in the Project Design Document (PDD) for Central Suau. The workshopwas held at Masurina Lodge on the 4th of September. A draft of the PDD is expected to be circulated in due course. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) has received support by Gesellschaft Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) with funds from the International Climate Initiative (ICI) to develop one of the five (5) REDD+ project sites in Papua New Guinea. The intended project aims to develop a Project Design Document (PDD) for a logged-to-protected forest REDD+ project in Central Suau, following the combined; Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standard (CCBS).
The conservation of natural forests from sustainable planned logging would be a beneficial activity to the people’s livelihoods as well as the maintenance of their biodiversity. Transparency International PNG Inc. was invited to attend and participate in the workshop given its involvement in the REDD+ Governance project under TI’s Climate Finance Integrity Programme and its advocacy and awareness operations particularly in Central Suau communities.
2.3 Central Suau Community Facilitators Workshop [16th-17th December 2014]
December 16th saw the commencement of the REDD+ Community Facilitators Workshop in Suau. Participants were made up of youths, women and some councillors from the 6 villages; Dahuni, KauKau, BonaBona, SiloSilo, Isudau and Isudiudiu. TI’s intended approach was in trying to get them to understand the corruption risks in REDD+ and its linkages to climate change and forests.
The workshop ended on a high with majority of the participants expressing their satisfaction of the topics discussed and the information received. It was made known that more awareness needed to be done and preferably in collaboration with other stakeholders. The message of REDD+, climate change, transparency, good governance and corruption needed to trickle down and be disseminated at the grassroots level. As these are the communities that are vulnerable to the risks of corruption and the affects/impacts of climate change. They are not fully informed of their rights and starved of receiving valuable information that would be vital towards encouraging them to be making the right decisions in any project developments in their communities. It was suggested by the people of Central Suau that their future generation had to be educated on the topics discussed in workshops. Hence, they would be the future beneficiaries of the project and being engaged and informed with the knowledge they have attained, would empower them to make the better decisions for their communities.
3. National NGO Exhibition [22nd August 2014]
The 22nd of August saw the hosting of the National NGO Exhibition and Seminar at the University Of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) Forum Square. It was coordinated by the Eco-Forestry Forum with the theme; Supporting Responsible Sustainable Green Development, hence, was the message being echoed by participating NGO exhibitors and how the work they do relates to the pursuance of encouraging responsible sustainable development in PNG. It also provided a platform to showcase the importance of NGO’s in the country and that they are not against the Government of the day, but rather incorporate to work closely with them as development partners in building this young developing nation.
4.Regional REDD+ Meeting (Indonesia, Jakarta) [07th-10th October 2014]
The REDD+ Finance and Governance Integrity Workshop was held from the 7th - 10th of October, at Century Park Hotel, Jakarta. The workshop provided an avenue for strategic discussions and operational trainings to build capacities of national chapter staff on social accountability tools for climate and REDD+ Finance, as well as, developing strategic advocacy planning for climate and REDD+ finance integrity in the Asia Pacific Region. The four (4) day workshop had its specific agendas outlined for each day prearranged. Discussions compelled from;
• Chapter meetings, review and updates
• Social Accountability of REDD+: Methodologies for increasing participation and monitoring of REDD+ projects
• Identifying corrupt practices in REDD+ and developing operationalizing advocacy strategies
• Complaints mechanism for climate/REDD+
• Influencing REDD+ policy development, from local to global level
Upon intense discussions, with other TI chapters and facilitators from the TI secretariat, a lot was being elaborated and debated on with regard to the challenges in REDD+ and what best advocacy strategies can be put in place to address the challenges.