PNG commits K25 million to assist Tuvalu

Papua New Guinea has pledged K25 million over the next five years to support Tuvalu’s efforts to protect its coastline and reclaim land threatened by rising sea levels.

Prime Minister James Marape announced this today at a joint press conference with Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo, shortly after arriving in Funafuti.

Marape said Papua New Guinea would provide K5 million annually through its national budget to assist Tuvalu’s climate adaptation efforts.

The first payment of K5 million has already been transferred to Tuvalu’s Treasury to enable immediate work on coastal protection measures.

He announced this during the leaders’ segment of the pre-COP31 planning meetings, where Pacific leaders are discussing regional climate challenges ahead of the global climate summit.

Marape said the funding would be directed towards the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project, a national initiative aimed at strengthening vulnerable coastlines and reclaiming safe land as the country grapples with the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise.

“This is an indication that whilst we wait for everybody else to respond, let’s do what we must do,” Marape said.

He also indicated Papua New Guinea’s readiness to provide additional assistance, including rock boulders and soil from its mountainous regions, should Tuvalu require physical materials for land reclamation projects.

Welcoming the contribution, Prime Minister Teo said the funding would play a significant role in protecting Tuvalu’s highly vulnerable coastline from ongoing erosion and sea-level rise.

“Declarations alone cannot physically fix eroding coastlines without substantial capital and resources,” he said.

While acknowledging recent international commitments on climate action, Teo noted that political declarations alone are insufficient to address the urgent challenges facing low-lying island nations.