INDEPENDENCE MARKED THROUGH ‘ONE MILLION TREES' CAMPAIGN IN PNG CAPITAL

Governor Parkop leading city residents celebrating the country's 44th Independence by planting trees along the Waigani Drive opposite the Waigani Central's Stop-and-Shop on Saturday, September 15, 2019.

MEDIA RELEASE, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2019:

The National Capital District on Saturday (September 14, 2019) marked PNG’s 44th Independence Anniversary through Governor Powes Parkop’s ‘One Million Tree’ campaign.

The implementation of the campaign is being escalated at various suburbs and communities in the city following its launch on June 2 this year.

Hours before the opening parade of the three-day Amazing Port Moresby Independence Festival then at Era Kone (formerly Ela Beach), Governor Parkop led more than 20 city residents planting eleven more trees along the Waigani Drive in front of Ideal Auto parts or opposite the Waigani Central Stop and Shop.

He said as part of the Independence celebration, they were planting the trees to think about the future.

“That is why I am here with some of our people to plant trees. When we are celebrating the 44th years of our country’s journey, we have to think about the future as well. The future should include protecting and conserving our environment.

“We can exploit all our mineral resources but live will continue. However, if we lose all our trees and the natural environment, surely, we will all die. So PNG, in terms of going forward, we have to protect our environment because they give us life,” he said when speaking at an important occasion yet small.

Parkop said PNG is home to the world’s third largest intact tropical forest remaining in the world yet with the continued burning of the Amazon Forest.

He added that the country has a huge responsibity to the world and the locals.

He said he was committed to climate change challenges and that planting a million trees each year meant that the city was doing its bit to contribute to the global effort to address it.

Governor Parkop further said thousands of trees have been planted so far at Taurama, along the median strips of major city roads, Waigani, and many other suburbs in the city.

He continued that the city had over a million residents and if ‘one person, one tree’ campaign becomes a reality, during the next World Environment Day celebration, the city will have a milestone achievement to do so.

There are other two initiatives, he said, being implemented and they are eco-club programs at various participating schools and greenest safe, clean and beautiful street or community.

“Let us make a greater commitment the only environment we have. Our mother earth is very sick and unwell. The signs are already obvious. Climate changes, unusual weather patterns, sea level rising, and extreme weather, poor air quality to name the few. If we do not act now, we will jeopardize our future and that of our future, bad the many generations to come,” warned Parkop, who is a strong advocate for environment protection and conservation.

Calling on the National Government to declare June 5 as a Public Holiday for Action against environment pollution, Governor Parkop commended the Minister for Environment and Climate Change Geoffrey Kama for his tough stance on enforcing plastic ban in the country by November this year.