Bougainville integrates climate adaptation into local Governance systems
The ABG through its Department of Lands, Physical Planning, Environment, Conservation and Climate Change (DLPPECCC), has reaffirmed its continued commitment to building a resilient and climate-ready Bougainville anchored in local realities and driven by community voices and ownership.
Secretary Lynette Baratai-Pokas, made this statement at the opening of a four-day training held last week on climate change adaptation for sector managers and district and community government planners from the Autonomous Bougainville Government.
She said Bougainville’s response to climate change must be homegrown, inclusive, and grounded in the lived experiences of its people.
“Rising sea levels are threatening our coastal villages and food gardens. Changing rainfall patterns are disrupting our water supply and agriculture. Coral bleaching, soil erosion, and landslides are no longer distant possibilities, they are daily realities for our people.”
Despite these challenges, she highlighted that Bougainville’s greatest strength lies in its people — their deep connection to land and sea, and their traditional knowledge systems that have sustained livelihoods for generations, stating that “This local strength is the foundation upon which we must build our climate response.”
She said Bougainville’s decentralization process and journey toward independence provided a unique opportunity to design climate governance systems that reflect true local ownership.
“The power to plan, decide, and implement adaptation actions must rest not only with government departments, but also with the communities who face these impacts firsthand.”
To achieve this, the DLPPECCC is strengthening coordination with district and community governments to ensure effective flow of resources, information, and capacity.
“National and regional frameworks provide guidance, but local realities must shape implementation. This is what true decentralization means in the context of climate action.”
The Workshop was hosted through support from UNDP’s and CCDA’s Building Resilience to Climate Change (BRCC) Project.
“This workshop marks an important step in strengthening Bougainville’s resilience to climate change. By equipping our district and community government officers with practical tools and knowledge, we are ensuring that adaptation planning is rooted in local realities and aligned with both the National Adaptation Plan and Bougainville’s development priorities. Together with CCDA and our provincial planners, we are building the foundation for a resilient, sustainable, and climate-ready Bougainville,” stated Mr. Steven Paissat, UNDP Management Specialist, on his opening remarks given on behalf of UNDP.
Photo credit: UNDP Facebook page
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