Papua New Guinea Policy on Protected Areas.

The Policy on Protected Areas has been developed by the Government of Papua New Guinea to support the development and management of a National Protected Area Network in Papua New Guinea (PNG). It will guide communities, organizations and agencies to harmonize their efforts in a structured and logical approach to the sustainability of existing and the development of new protected areas.
The Network will be established and governed to conserve the country’s outstanding biodiversity and provide benefits for local communities, customary landowners, and all people. At the same time, the network forms the cornerstone of an integrated approach to sustainably conserve nature and provide resilience to climate change on both land and sea. To this end, the policy is built on five pillars for an effective protected area network: 1. Protected Areas, Governance and Management; 2. Sustainable livelihoods for communities; 3. Effective and adaptive biodiversity management; 4. Managing the Protected Area network; 5. Sustainable and equitable financing for Protected Areas.
To these ends, efforts will be focused on establishing the legal and institutional framework for the management and governance of the PNG Protected Area Network with clear lines of responsibility and high standards of governance, accountability and reporting, and ensuring it has adequate funding and staff capacity, competent leadership structure, functioning policies, and operational systems. As 92% of PNG’s land and 90% of near-shore marine areas are either owned or used by customary landowners, the PNG Protected Area Network can be built only with their full involvement, support and cooperation. All aspects of building the network will be in partnership with communities, thus ensuring that the network supports their livelihoods and natural resource sustainability. Free prior informed consent of customary landowners and communities will be the basis for the entire Network.
Further, to support the development of sustainable environment and livelihoods efforts will focus on ensuring that local arrangements governing use of natural resources in Protected Areas are fair and sustainable and continue to support traditional livelihoods. Further, policy actions recommend training, supporting and empowering communities, customary landowners and Protected Area staff to sustainably manage Protected Areas. Conservation and Benefit Sharing Agreements will also be developed with customary landowners and communities for all Protected Areas to formalize the management arrangements and benefits.
Policy actions will also work towards developing and applying biodiversity management planning, monitoring and reporting, natural and cultural resource management, and law enforcement of the Protected Area. Regarding Pillar four and Pillar five the policy will develop and implement a Biodiversity Trust Fund to support the Protected Area Network through mechanisms such as biodiversity and ecosystem services offsets, green contributions such as levies and taxes, and donations and philanthropic contributions; and will develop small grant programs to deliver funding directly to support local communities in the establishment and management of Protected Areas.
Due to the fact that most lands and nearshore marine areas are owned by customary landowners, governance in the PNG Protected Area Network will include roles for governments at all levels, but also critical roles for customary landowners, other community members, and partners who support them. In addition, industry and civil society will be key players in governance of some of the areas.