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This fourth National Report to the CBD describes the measures taken by PNG to implement the various Articles of the CBD and especially through implementation of the NBSAP and the progress it has made towards the 2010 target and implementation of its Strategic Plan.

Technical report

That confidence was given a boost when countries under the Montreal Protocol decided to take quick and early action down the path to ending HCFC consumption and production. These actions, however, must be taken in the spirit of a new era in which the world embraces the absolute need for ‘green growth’ – growth that casts off the ‘business as usual’ approach and accelerates us down the path to lowcarbon, resource-efficient economies with an intelligent management of natural and nature-based assets. Indeed, the accelerated action on HCFCs will achieve maximum benefits in terms of ozone and climate if the phase-out is accompanied by improvements in areas such as energy efficiency and the adoption of alternate technologies. The world has an unparalleled opportunity to simultaneously eliminate ozone depleting substances, reap climate benefits, and improve energy efficiency and stimulate growth in green jobs.

At a global scale, the waste management sector makes a relatively minor contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, estimated at approximately 3-5% of total anthropogenic emissions in 2005. However, the waste sector is in a unique position to move from being a minor source of global emissions to becoming a major saver of emissions. Although minor levels of emissions are released through waste treatment and disposal, the prevention and recovery of wastes (i.e. as secondary materials or energy) avoids emissions in all other sectors of the economy. A holistic approach to waste management has positive consequences for GHG emissions from the energy, forestry, agriculture, mining, transport, and manufacturing sectors.

The Copenhagen Accord declared that deep cuts in global emissions are required “so as to hold the increase in global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius”. The Accord called for an assessment that would consider strengthening the long-term goal including “temperature rises of 1.5 degrees”. Since December 2009, 140 countries1 have associated themselves with the Copenhagen Accord. Of these, 85 countries have pledged to reduce their emissions or constrain their growth up to 2020.

The biological diversity of the 72% of our planet covered by seawater is crucial to global resource security, ecosystem function and climate dynamics. We know little of the extent and the interactions of marine biological diversity but in all of the UNEP Regional Seas changes in biodiversity are the symptom of failures to manage marine ecosystems.

The rational for this Policy Brief is to make clear the vital benefits of integrating biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management by taking the Ecosystemsbased Adaptation approach along with the Green Economy Initiative to achieve equitable multiple ‘win-win’ objectives to ensure the continued well-being of human society in the future.

UNEP GRID-Arendal Maps and Graphics library [website]