Panel #2 - January 16-18, 2023 -

Overview

The Papua LNG Independent Advisory Panel reconvened on January 16th-18th, 2023, starting with a visit to the logistic base Herd Base, on the Purari River followed by the visit of the Kapuna Rural hospital, located on one of the fingers of the Purari River and the visit of the Evara Village in the vicinity of the Block PRL 15.

This second meeting focused on the Biodiversity aspects, the Biodiversity Ecosystems Services (BES) Strategy that the Project is putting in place to demonstrate its approach to reach the Biodiversity Net Gain.

The Panel could assess the environment of the Project, interact with local communities, saw our support to the health sector via Kapuna Rural hospital.

Attendees

Here are the Panelists who attended the discussions:

A glimpse in pictures

Here are some pictures taken during the session:

Based on the discussions held during the IAP meeting held on 18 January, the following key recommendations were formulated and presented after the session:

Recommendations Panel #2

Below are valuable recommendations from the Panel discussions:

BIODIVERSITY / CONSERVATION / ENVIRONMENT

2-B.1 Biodiversity Study

👉🏾 To develop a very robust biodiversity baseline study and monitoring process before any activity takes place. It’s extremely important to monitor and be able to provide evidence for invasive species, and show that none of them, including chytrid fungus, are introduced by the Project.

To develop a robust avoidance register to properly record the areas that were avoided by the Project for biodiversity reasons.

To learn about traditional conservation practices (for example when to collect specific species) and include them in conservation activities.

2-B.2 Environment Impact Minimization and Restoration

👉🏾 To develop biodiversity nurseries for rare or endangered species

To develop an orchid collection process to apply during the tree felling activities, as many species and specimens of orchids are present in the Project area and implement an orchid nursery on site

To minimize deforestation to the extent possible and provide a restoration plan, taking into account climate benefits and programs which involve local communities

To engage w/ policy makers to ensure that they are aware about offsets and what the company is trying to achieve, and that other projects are not affecting the delivery of the offsets

To be generous regarding the surface multiplication factor to reach biodiversity net gain for already used and logged areas as they are restoring fast as the forest environment is very dynamic and regenerate quite easily

2-B.3 Conservation program

👉🏾 To develop Conservation programs with a sustainable financial component, e.g. a cash crop activity with high economic

To develop conservation deeds, and at a later stage develop conservation areas

SOCIETAL DEVELOPMENT

2-S.1 Education, Scholarship and Learning & Development Programs

👉🏾 To support community activities towards improvement of the local education services (elementary and primary schools and health posts)

To develop a Scholarship program to encourage Papua New Guineans to pursue their university studies on biodiversity related topics, including secondary education students & post-graduate programs.

To sponsor on-going community learning and development programs that are designed to foster mindset change from dependency to ownership with a focus on young people and adults who are marginalized from the formal education system. This could be done in partnership with an NGO learning provider such as Ginigoada Foundation.

To encourage community driven early learning activities in all villages so that the road to literacy can be developed from an early age. Potential Early learning educators would be identified in communities to be trained.

2-S.2 Empowerment programs

👉🏾 To foster empowerment in all the community development activities by encouraging community ownership of the projects. The Project should hear all voices, including women, including young people. The communities should consider the projects theirs, rather than identifying them as Papua LNG

2-S.3 Engagement towards the Communities

👉🏾 To continue engaging nearby local communities, including those who might not be declared as landowners of the Project by the government, both in the Gulf Province and in the Central Province

To involve religious groups in the community engagement and community development activities lead by the Project

2-S.4 Health Programs

👉🏾 To support community activities towards improvement of the local health services.