Environment and Development: The Forests of Papua New Guinea

The uniqueness and importance of island tropical moist rainforests, such as that of Papua New Guinea is well recognised. It can be safely argued that tropical islands with their rainforests and adjacent coral reefs may well comprise the most biologically rich complexes of ecosystems on the planet. Therefore, those who pursue economic growth or developmental processes on these islands must be particularly cognizant of the environment. This paper examines, with particular reference to Papua New Guinea, the relationship between development and the environment. Papua New Guinea incorporates the largest continuous tract of lowland tropical moist rainforest in the Southeast Asia/Pacific region. The forestry sector in Papua New Guinea is described. This is followed by a conceptualisation of the environmental/economic dilemma. It is then argued that economic criteria and legal/juridical policies, used by international agencies and the State to resolve the problem of forest degradation, have proved to be a failure in Papua New Guinea. Those people most affected, villagers and peasants, have no control over the incursion of international capital and are forced or enticed to sell off their own and future generation’s customary land rights. Social relationships have been commercialised in a most effective manner. In return the villagers receive roads without maintenance, schools without teachers and royalty agreements without payment. To date no consensus has yet been achieved on the relationship between the protagonists of economic growth and those of ecological or social sustainability