The prime minister has announced that Papua New Guinea will now be providing massive funding support to Tuvalu to support its efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change.
Prime Minister James Marape made this announcement on Monday, stating a commitment of K25 million over the next five years to support Tuvalu’s coastal adaptation and land reclamation projects.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Tuvaluan Prime Minister Feleti Teo in Funafuti, Prime Minister Marape confirmed that K5 million will be allocated from each annual budget over the five-year committed term.
In fact, the first annual instalment of K5 million has already been transferred to Tuvalu’s treasury to initiate immediate funding for local defence measures.
The announcement took place during the leader segment of the pre-COP31 planning meetings, which aim to address regional climate vulnerabilities ahead of the global summit.
Papua New Guinea's funding will directly support the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project - a national initiative designed to reinforce the country's coastlines and reclaim safe land amid rising sea levels.
Prime Minister Marape, who arrived in Funafuti early Monday morning from Port Moresby as the first regional leader to attend the two-day segment, emphasized that Pacific island nations must take immediate, practical action rather than waiting for international climate funds.
"This is an indication that whilst we wait for everybody else to respond, let's do what we have to do," PM Marape said, noting that his administration is prepared to ship rock, boulders and soil from Papua New Guinea's mountains if requested by Tuvalu to assist with physical reclamation.
Prime Minister Teo acknowledged the contribution, stating that the financial resources will be utilised to secure the island nation's highly vulnerable coastline.
Prime Minister Teo noted that while international bodies recently adopted a political declaration on sea level rise at the United Nations General Assembly, declarations alone cannot physically fix eroding coastlines without substantial capital.
The Prime Minister issued a formal appeal to industrialized nations, including the United States, China, Japan, India, and the United Kingdom, to provide direct financial assistance to small island states facing immediate existential threats.
Meantime, the pre-COP31 leader segment event continues through Tuesday in Funafuti, where arriving Pacific leaders will inspect local engineering projects before the broader planning meetings transition to Fiji later this week.