The Manus Provincial Administration has expressed appreciation to the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) for implementing the Building Resilience to Climate Change (BRCC) Pilot Project in the province.
Speaking at the opening of a four-day mainstreaming workshop recently in Lorengau, Deputy Provincial Administrator Penua Polon emphasized the need to replicate the project across other communities in Manus and maritime provinces nationwide.
The workshop held under United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) and Climate Change Development Authority’s BRCC Project, attended by 32 participants including LLG Managers and Provincial Officers, focused on developing community-based adaptation plans and integrating climate resilience into local and sectoral planning.
Polon stressed that planning must begin at the community level and align with district, provincial, and national development frameworks, including PNG’s Medium-Term Development Plan IV and Vision 2050.
Since 2016, the BRCC Project has been implemented in Ahus, Ponam, Andra, and Bipi Islands, addressing challenges such as water and food insecurity, sea level rise, and coral bleaching in coastal areas, as well as inland flooding and landslides in mountainous regions.
Outgoing Ahus Island Councillor Michael Chongohan thanked CCDA and the Manus Government for selecting his community as a pilot site. He highlighted the tangible benefits received: five 9,000-liter water tanks, seven hybrid toilets (three completed), a two-way radio, a dinghy, and an upcoming community hall. These assets have improved access to clean water and transport, especially for vulnerable groups.
UNDP Consultant Joseph Kunda noted that the training empowers local leaders to transform climate risks into practical, community-led solutions. “We are strengthening water security and coastal protection not just as infrastructure, but as lifelines for frontline communities,” he said.
The BRCC Project Director and CCDA’s General Manager of Adaptation reaffirmed that building resilience begins at the grassroots. “When provinces, districts, and wards take ownership of planning, we create lasting change that protects lives, livelihoods, and our shared future,” he said.
