Papua New Guinea National Environmental Management Strategy 2021-2025.

The National Environmental Management Strategy lays down key policies, programmes and actions to promote sustainable development and conservation of the environment of the country. The timeframe of the policy is 5 years, covering the period from 2021 to 2025. It introduces eight thematic areas, namely: environment monitoring and governance; atmosphere and climate; freshwater resources; land; marine and coastal; biodiversity; built environment - consumption and waste; and cultural heritage.
The Environment Monitoring and Governance theme focuses on government budget allocations for natural resource development under Environment Permit Conditions and compliance by developers. It also covers the government’s role in the implementation of Multilateral Environment Agreements. Environment governance will be strengthened by establishing the Board of Conservation and Environment Protection Authority to provide management advice to the Authority's operation. The Atmosphere and Climate theme addresses greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and resilience though climate adaptation and mitigation funding (food security, water security, health and flood risks). It develops strategies on the reduction of reliance on fossil fuel; the phase-out of ozone depleting substances and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs); effective adaptation response and capacity to protect livelihoods, natural resources and vulnerable areas from impacts of climate change; and investment in affordable renewable energy. Low carbon growth economy will be promoted and incentives schemes will be implemented to reduce emission.
This Strategy addresses the challenge of access to fresh and quality water supply. The freshwater resources theme prioritizes investment, technology, effective planning and implementation, education, capacity building and information dissemination to ensure access to fresh, clean and safe water by 90% of citizens, industries, municipalities, and villages in both rural and urban areas. Quality water supply and services will be made available to 70% of the population through collaboration with partners and stakeholders in achieving the government’s goals of supplying better freshwater quality and services, including protection and management of water catchments, and enhanced institutional capacity building for better data collection and management. This Strategy emphasizes the access to safer water by all people is a universal right and will be achieved by 2025. The land theme strives for sustainable use and management of forests, cultivated lands, wetlands and protected areas. Measures will be taken to reduce forest depletion. Reforestation and forest replenishment activities or programmes will be implemented and promoted across the country. Land use planning will be improved through mapping of all potential arable land where sustainable land management and better farming practices are implemented. Wetlands management and use will be strengthened to improve environmental services. Terrestrial protected areas will be managed sustainably to preserve biodiversity, culture and livelihood.
The marine and coastal theme focuses on sustainable fisheries management for the protection of off-shore and inshore marine environments and living marine resources, with an emphasis on endangered and threatened marine mammals, rays, sharks and turtles. Marine protected areas will be established and managed sustainably to preserve biodiversity and to improve marine health and ecosystem functions. Marine environment and species will be monitored to ensure sustainable management and conservation of corals, seagrass and mangrove ecosystems. Water quality of lagoons will be protected against degradation and pollution in order to improve quality of marine life. The biodiversity theme stresses on developing legal frameworks for the protection and sustainable management of species and protected areas. Management plans will be developed for endemic and native species to protect them against overexploitation. Threatened species will be protected by monitoring the threats on biodiversity such as climate change, development activities, habitat loss, pests and diseases and invasive species. Measures will be taken to prevent, minimize and mitigate the adverse impacts posed by invasive alien species. The consumption and waste theme covers all types of wastes and addresses waste management, pollution control, waste recycling, waste minimization and polluter pays principle. The culture and heritage theme focuses on the preservation of culture, language, customs, traditional knowledge and traditional crops.