Minister for Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Simon Kilepa has announced that the Second National Climate Change Summit will take place next week in Port Moresby. Kilepa said this summit will bring together leaders, experts, and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds engage in substantive discussions centred on the theme “Climate Justice and Social Inclusion”. “Papua New Guinea is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, rising sea levels, more frequent and severe weather events, and changing rainfall patterns are already affecting the country’s both coastal and highlands communities, agriculture, and infrastructure.” “The injustice of climate change lies in the fact that our most vulnerable are impacted severely by changes they did not contribute to over the last century, and they are unknowingly bearing that cost.” Minister Kilepa stated that there is a need to clearly amplify the voices of the most vulnerable in a socially inclusive manner, to make the case for a justified response to the adverse impacts of climate change He added that there is also a greater need to accelerate access to climate finance to meet the country’s climate change priorities. “Exploring climate finance at the domestic and international level, through bilateral and multilateral sources, private and public, will be a key agenda at the summit.” “The outcome of the summit will help the country prepare its response to build community resilience, accelerate access to climate finance, reaffirm the country’s international commitments on climate change and strengthen stakeholder collaboration on climate action in PNG.” Minister Kilepa also thanked corporate entities and development partners who have come onboard to support the summit. These sponsors include Ela Motors, National Energy Authority, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Global Green Growth Institute, New Zealand High Commission, Australia High Commission, Newcrest Mining Limited, European Union and Vodafone. “Events of this magnitude come with its own financial and logistics challenges. For this summit, we are grateful to have these sponsors onboard to support. I also thank the management of CCDA and the Summit Organizing Committee for coordinating this Summit,” Minister Kilepa said.