Papua LNG aims to minimize environmental impacts by carrying appropriate monitoring and assessments before any construction works and taking concrete actions to pave the way towards a Biodiversity Net Gain.
Zero Net Deforestation (ZND)
The Zero Net Deforestation policy applied by Papua LNG requires that any unavoidable deforestation of forest cover in the Project Area is compensated by at least an equal area replanted elsewhere.
Operating primarily in Central Province, in Kuriva, Brown River and Boera, the ZND Project’s suite of programs include:
- Afforestation and Reforestation in partnership with the PNG Forest Authority (PNGFA), the core of the Papua LNG ZND project aims to establish at least 1,000ha of hardwood forests at the PNGF Kuriva Forestry Station and Varagadi ILG customary lands near Brown River.
- Biodiversity, in partnership with the PNGFA. In 2024 TotalEnergies completed a comprehensive independent Environmental Baseline Survey (EBS) for the proposed forest reserve. The findings from this survey will inform the development of a roadmap to secure protection of the Veimauri Forest Reserve for future generations.
- Mangrove Rehabilitation and Conservation, in line with TotalEnergies’ environmental & societal commitments in Papua New Guinea, the company has launched an innovative program focused on mangrove rehabilitation and conservation.
- New Guinea Sandalwood Conservation, the New Guinea Sandalwood tree is one of the most endangered tree species in PNG. We work with local communities in Central, NCDC, and Gulf Province to re-establish sandalwood trees back into their native habitat (savannah woodlands), the aim of the project is to improve the critically endangered status of the species.
Over 60 ha of new plantations were established. To date the project has established 252ha of teak, Khaya and PNG native tree species in Kuriva and Brown River.
In addition, in collaboration with Project partners, TotalEnergies has rehabilitated approximately 2ha of coastal mangrove ecosystems in Port Moresby at Fairfax Harbour and Caution Bay.
Socio-economic impact of the ZND initiative
In 2024 the initiative provided formal employment, the majority of whom are from the local communities, 22% being female. The project team are engaged in afforestation activities which include nursery management, land preparation and plantation establishment and maintenance.
Highlights Conservation Initiatives
- 252 afforestation hectares planted to date
- 2 ha coastal Mangrove ecosystem planted at Fairfax Harbours and Caution Bay
- 21 Community engagements, meetings held in the Kuriva and Brown River areas
- 31 External stakeholder engagements with organizations and companies
Koke Hanua Mangrove Nursery
Sixty solar panels with a capacity of 30 kWp and associated battery storage were installed in the Koke Hanua Mangrove Nursery in March of this year.
The solar system will provide power to power pumps at the mangrove nursery as well as lights, fans
and critical appliances in the Koke Hanua Lodge. An example of the project’s partnership with local
communities.
Mangrove Rehabilitation & Conservation for Motukea International Terminal
TotalEnergies signed a Cooperation Agreement for Mangrove Rehabilitation & Conservation with the government owned PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNGPCL) and the port’s private operator (MITL) on 21 May 2024. The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Governor for the National Capital District (NCD) Hon. Powes Parkop and Manager of the Motu Koita Assembly (MKA) Mari Kila.
The purpose of this Agreement is to establish a basis for cooperation between TotalEnergies, PNGPCL and MITL for the development of mangrove biodiversity conservation and rehabilitation sites at Fairfax Harbour.
The event coincided with the commencement of the first planting of 676 mangrove seedlings at the Motukea International Terminal.
Memorandum Of Understanding Signed With Nature Park
Through Baseline Studies and Pre-clearance Surveys (PCS), Papua LNG experts have recorded 20 frog species that are New to Science and 14 frogs that are Endemic, Restricted Range, Endangered and Critically Endangered in the Project area in the Gulf Province.
Papua LNG has partnered with the Nature Park through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in June 2022, to develop scientific research and related programs such as frog husbandry and frog genome collection. The frog species from PRL 15 will be candidates for this work.
PNG has 6% of the world’s known species of amphibians and so this program will also be able to help protect them from various pathogens.
