As vital carbon sinks, they help regulate the Earth’s climate, store vast amounts of carbon, and support biodiversity found nowhere else on the planet. In fact, species are still being discovered under Papua's forest canopies every single year. 

For the hundreds of remote communities scattered across Papua New Guinea's rolling green hills, forests are also everything. Food, shelter, culture and life. That's why, historically, they have served as the country's primary forest guardians, sustainably managing the resource they rely on for generations through land ownership and sustainable community farming practices. 

But we're losing these irreplaceable ecosystems at alarming rates. Deforestation due to growing pressure from illegal logging, industrial agricultural expansion, among others,  has become a severe issue, and the country. Papua New Guinea, the largest exporter of wood products in the Pacific, exported 3.3m tonnes of wood — equivalent to 326 Eiffel Towers — in 2019, 90% of which was exported to China. The urgency to address this problem is high, as it impacts both the ecosystem and local communities. 

Reducing deforestation in Papua New Guinea is vital for preserving its extraordinary biodiversity, including unique species like the world’s largest butterfly, tree kangaroo and for regulating the climate by absorbing carbon dioxide.

Forests also play a crucial role in maintaining the water cycle and preventing soil erosion, which supports both ecosystems and agriculture and increases resilience from landslides, which are becoming more intense and frequent in Papua New Guinea. Many local communities also depend on forests for their livelihoods, obtaining food, medicine, and materials, while also holding cultural and spiritual significance.

Across the globe, deforestation-free value chain regulation, a process of taking deforestation out of supply chains linked with for profit industries, is emerging as an expected standard. Consumers are also pushing for greater sustainability with accountability, demanding anything other than “business as usual” approaches. 

That's why we work with businesses and communities to identify pathways where Pacific countries and Pacific people receive the full value of their resources. Our aim is to move from deforestation towards restoration, degraded soils into abundant harvests and uncertainty towards brighter futures.