Skip to main content

Site navigation

  • University of Technology Sydney home
  • Home

    Home
  • For students

  • For industry

  • Research

Explore

  • Courses
  • Events
  • News
  • Stories
  • People

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Study at UTS

    • arrow_right_alt Find a course
    • arrow_right_alt Course areas
    • arrow_right_alt Undergraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Postgraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Research Masters and PhD
    • arrow_right_alt Online study and short courses
  • Student information

    • arrow_right_alt Current students
    • arrow_right_alt New UTS students
    • arrow_right_alt Graduates (Alumni)
    • arrow_right_alt High school students
    • arrow_right_alt Indigenous students
    • arrow_right_alt International students
  • Admissions

    • arrow_right_alt How to apply
    • arrow_right_alt Entry pathways
    • arrow_right_alt Eligibility
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for students

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Apply for a coursearrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Scholarshipsarrow_right_alt
  • Featured industries

    • arrow_right_alt Agriculture and food
    • arrow_right_alt Defence and space
    • arrow_right_alt Energy and transport
    • arrow_right_alt Government and policy
    • arrow_right_alt Health and medical
    • arrow_right_alt Corporate training
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Tech Central
    • arrow_right_alt Case studies
    • arrow_right_alt Research
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for industry

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Partner with usarrow_right_alt
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Explore our research
    • arrow_right_alt Research centres and institutes
    • arrow_right_alt Graduate research
    • arrow_right_alt Research partnerships
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for research

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Research centres and institutesarrow_right_alt
  • University of Technology Sydney home
Explore the University of Technology Sydney
Category Filters:
University of Technology Sydney home University of Technology Sydney home
  1. home
  2. arrow_forward_ios ... Newsroom
  3. arrow_forward_ios ... 2018
  4. arrow_forward_ios 08
  5. arrow_forward_ios Improving community resilience to a changing climate in PNG

Improving community resilience to a changing climate in PNG

29 August 2018

Papua New Guinea is home to the largest rainforest in the Asia-Pacific region – the third-largest intact rainforest in the world.

An image of stakeholders depicting the local ecosystem services in their area.

Stakeholders at a workshop in Papua New Guinea, depicting local ecosystem services available in their area. 

This rainforest is estimated to contain at least 5 percent of the world’s animal species; two-thirds of which are unique to Papua New Guinea. However, these forests are seriously threatened by agriculture, logging, oil palm developments and a changing climate.

In June, four community workshops investigated the nature of biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation in PNG.

Staff from the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures teamed up with the New Guinea Bintang Research Centre to run a workshop with four communities throughout the Madang and Eastern Highlands provinces.

Over 128 community members attended the workshops, identifying ecosystem services such as food and water from their local area, and discussing how these ecosystem services may be impacted by climate change and development.

The workshops were designed to provide a way for involved communities to learn about how a changing climate may impact the health of the local environment, and the wellbeing of communities and local livelihoods.

The communities identified possible small-scale projects to enhance the management of ecosystems which provide benefits for both biodiversity conservation and livelihoods. Projects that were developed included:

  • mulching and making compost to reduce moisture loss from soils;
  • reducing the risk of bushfire;
  • improving soil condition and enhancing food security through the planting of legume trees,
  • driving reforestation to improve habitat connectivity;
  • restoring degraded mangrove to provide habitat for marine species, materials and a buffer against the impact of storms on coastal communities.

The researchers identified a clear knowledge gaps in the communities around the causes of climate change and the projected impacts.

The outcomes of the workshop will be presented to provincial government officials in Madang and Eastern Highland Province, to enable them to make more informed decisions and better protect valued eco-systems.  A handbook detailing the findings of this collaboration will also be launched during these workshops in October.

This project is funded by USAID’s Pacific-American Climate Fund (PACAM). PACAM provides grants to civil society organizations (CSOs) to reduce long-term vulnerabilities associated with climate change, and to provide additional co-benefits such as sustainable livelihood creation and protection of natural resources.

Share
Share this on Facebook Share this on Twitter Share this on LinkedIn
Back to ISF news

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation and the Boorooberongal People of the Dharug Nation upon whose ancestral lands our campuses now stand. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands. 

University of Technology Sydney

City Campus

15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007

Get in touch with UTS

Follow us

  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Facebook

A member of

  • Australian Technology Network
Use arrow keys to navigate within each column of links. Press Tab to move between columns.

Study

  • Find a course
  • Undergraduate
  • Postgraduate
  • How to apply
  • Scholarships and prizes
  • International students
  • Campus maps
  • Accommodation

Engage

  • Find an expert
  • Industry
  • News
  • Events
  • Experience UTS
  • Research
  • Stories
  • Alumni

About

  • Who we are
  • Faculties
  • Learning and teaching
  • Sustainability
  • Initiatives
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Campus and locations
  • Awards and rankings
  • UTS governance

Staff and students

  • Current students
  • Help and support
  • Library
  • Policies
  • StaffConnect
  • Working at UTS
  • UTS Handbook
  • Contact us
  • Copyright © 2025
  • ABN: 77 257 686 961
  • CRICOS provider number: 00099F
  • TEQSA provider number: PRV12060
  • TEQSA category: Australian University
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility