Marape confirms PNG support for Australia’s COP31 bid

Prime Minister James Marape says Papua New Guinea fully supports Australia’s leadership in the ongoing discussions about who will host COP31 and trusts Australia to make the best decision for the region.

He made the comments in response to a question from an ABC reporter, saying PNG has always stood with Australia throughout its COP31 lobbying campaign because of the long partnership and shared climate concerns across the Pacific.

Prime Minister Marape said PNG backed Australia from the start and trusted its approach and negotiations.

“Our position was simple: Papua New Guinea trusts Australia’s leadership in the COP31 process. We rallied behind Australia because we believe their bid symbolises the collective aspirations of Oceania,” he said.

He said PNG believed Australia’s bid was the best way to push Pacific climate issues onto the global stage.

Prime Minister Marape also said PNG told Australia that if it became necessary to step aside, including the possibility of allowing Turkey to host, then the Pacific’s priorities must still be clearly protected and promoted.

“If Australia needed to give way, we made it clear that COP31 must still visibly reflect the priorities of Oceania, the Pacific small island states, coastal communities, island communities, and Papua New Guinea,” he said.

He said the issues that must remain central include climate adaptation for coastal and island communities, the Pacific’s ocean agenda, PNG’s Forest and marine resource management goals, and nature-based climate solutions.

He stressed the importance of Articles 5.2 and 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, which relate to forest conservation, carbon markets, and payments for protecting standing forests.

“These agendas must not be lost. They must be visible, embraced, and incorporated into COP31’s framework, especially following the outcomes of COP30 in Belém,” Prime Minister Marape said.

He also said PNG supports Australia hosting a future COP meeting to ensure the Pacific’s voice is heard at the highest level.

“We have asked that a future COP, not too far into the future, be hosted by Australia with full participation from Oceania. This remains important for our region,” he said.

Prime Minister Marape said PNG will continue to support Australia’s leadership on the issue.

“We stood with Australia, and we allowed Australia to make the lead call. Whatever decision Australia takes, we will support. From there, we will continue to advance our forest agenda, our ocean agenda, and the climate-resilient future our region deserves,” he said.