01
Climate change mitigation & adaptation
Supporting national and provincial adaptation planning, coastal and island community resilience work, and science communication that translates climate data into decisions people can act on.
02Programme
Natural & Social Sciences Programme
Building PNG's scientific capacity to understand, prepare for and mitigate climate, ocean and geological risk.
Overview
Papua New Guinea sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and on the front line of climate change. The Natural Sciences programme builds the country's scientific capacity to understand, prepare for and mitigate these risks — from rising seas to tsunamis and earthquakes.
The programme links national institutions to UNESCO's intergovernmental scientific bodies, including the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, the Man and the Biosphere Programme and the International Hydrological Programme, so that PNG researchers and officials sit inside the regional early-warning and monitoring systems that protect the Pacific.
Alongside the natural sciences, the social and human sciences strand supports work on youth, ethics, inclusion and the social dimensions of climate displacement — recognising that resilience is as much a community question as a technical one.
Key activities
5 workstreams
02
Tsunami & earthquake preparedness drills
Running the national school and coastal-community drill series with disaster management authorities, including evacuation mapping, siren and signage checks, and post-drill evaluation.
03
GOSPIN — science policy mapping
Applying UNESCO's Global Observatory of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Instruments to map PNG's research system, funding flows and policy gaps.
04
Biosphere, water & ocean science
Working with UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere, hydrological and oceanographic programmes on freshwater, reef and biodiversity monitoring in PNG's catchments and coastal waters.
05
Youth in science & social inclusion
Encouraging young Papua New Guineans — especially young women — into scientific study and research careers, and supporting social science work on ethics, migration and inclusion.
Areas of focus
- Disaster risk reduction and early warning
- Climate adaptation for coastal and island communities
- National research and innovation capacity
- Freshwater, reef and biodiversity monitoring
Working with
- National Disaster Centre
- Climate Change & Development Authority
- Conservation & Environment Protection Authority
- Universities and research institutes
- IOC / Pacific Tsunami Warning System