The Status of REDD+ in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a country emblematic of the challenges facing developing rainforest nations in the Global South. Despite its rich natural resources (recent surveys indicate that between 50% and 70% of the country’s 46.4 million hectares remain covered with largely undisturbed lowland rainforest) and a relatively stable political climate, the country remains extremely poor, with an estimated 40% of the population living on less than $1 a day (Allen, 2010; AusAID, 2010; Shearman et al, 2010; UNDP, 2006). A heavy reliance on extractive mining and forestry projects has historically contributed most to the nation’s GDP, but has simultaneously threatened the future livelihoods of the 87% of the population who depend on natural resources for their subsistence needs (Shearman et al., 2009; WHO, 2007).