Papua New Guinea advances its climate finance readiness through stronger institutional collaboration and capacity.
In Papua New Guinea (PNG), efforts to access climate finance are moving from isolated projects to a coordinated national system. With growing climate impacts across its islands and highlands, the country continues to invest in the institutional foundations that make long-term resilience possible.
Through the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Partnership Action Fund (PAF), PNG’s Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) hosted the country’s first Climate Finance Readiness Writeshop in Port Moresby from 20–22 October 2025, in collaboration with the Pacific Community (SPC).
The initiative represents a shift toward institutionalising climate finance coordination by moving from ad-hoc project-by-project approach to build a sustainable system that connects ministries, strengthens accountability, and improves the country’s ability to attract and manage climate investments.
A total of 24 participants from across 12 government ministries and agencies attended the three-day event, including representatives from the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, National Weather Service, National Maritime Safety Authority, Department of Transport and Department of Works and Highways.
Participants explored the fundamentals of climate finance, including developing a strong climate rationale, environmental and social safeguards, gender equality and social inclusion, and monitoring, evaluation and learning. Working in cross-sectoral groups, they developed draft concept notes that align with PNG’s National Adaptation Plan (2022–2030).
Mr Dirk Snyman, Climate Finance Coordinator with SPC’s Climate Change and Sustainability Division, said the workshop reflected a growing regional focus on building lasting institutional systems to deliver climate finance.
“This is about strengthening the mechanisms that allow governments to plan, access, and manage climate investments in a consistent and coordinated way. PNG is demonstrating that readiness is not a one-off training exercise, it is an ongoing process of building systems that can sustain action.”
The writeshop is part of the PNG NDC PAF Project, which is supporting CCDA to enhance coordination mechanisms and financial systems for resource mobilisation. Through this initiative, the Government of PNG is also advancing the operationalisation of its new Climate Finance Unit (CFU) – a key step toward institutional readiness.
Mr William Lakain, Acting General Manager for MRV and National Communications in CCDA said the workshop had strengthened collaboration and shared understanding across key sector agencies.
“Strengthening our national systems means investing in people and processes that will carry this work forward. Through this partnership with SPC, we are developing the skills and structures needed to move projects from concept to funding and implementation.”
SPC will continue to provide technical support and mentoring to CCDA and participating agencies to refine and advance the concept notes toward submission to sources of climate finance. This will include further writeshops to be conducted in 2026.
Mr Snyman added that sustained coordination and institutional development would be critical for countries across the Pacific to fully realise their climate ambitions.
“The strength of a country’s climate finance system determines its ability to turn plans into impact. By building capacity, structure, and alignment, Papua New Guinea is positioning itself to deliver climate action that lasts.”
As climate finance becomes increasingly competitive and complex, PNG’s progress offers a clear example of how national ownership and regional collaboration can translate ambition into access.
With systems being built to endure, the country is not only strengthening its readiness it is laying the foundations for a new generation of climate investments that are nationally driven, regionally supported, and globally aligned.
For more information:
- Dirk Snyman, Climate Finance Coordinator, Climate Change and Sustainability Division, Pacific Community (SPC) [email protected]
- Sunayna Nandini Information and Communications Officer, Climate Change and Sustainability Division, Pacific Community (SPC) [email protected]
