ON the eve of World Ocean Day, NCD Governor Powes Parkop yesterday led a symbolic walk from Ela Beach to Sir Hubert Murray Stadium, rallying citizens to protect Papua New Guinea’s vast ocean from plastic pollution and climate threats.
The initiative drew strong community participation, sending a powerful message of collective resolve.
Governor Parkop reminded participants that Papua New Guinea’s sea area — spanning 4.2 million km², nearly ten times its land mass — produces between 50–80% of the Earth’s oxygen and sustains rich biodiversity, including 25% of the world’s tuna stocks.
“Our ocean is larger than our land, and it defines our identity, our economy, and our future,” Governor Parkop stated.
This year’s theme, “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet”, framed the event.
Governor Parkop urged citizens to stop littering drains and coasts, adopt sustainable fishing practices, and support conservation programs.
“We must act now — through reef rehabilitation, cleanups, waste-to-energy innovation, and education — to safeguard
our marine heritage for generations to come,” he said.
Governor Parkop outlined several programs to protect marine ecosystems and coastal communities:
• Coral rehabilitation with NGOs to restore reefs and plant coral.
• Coastal cleanup programs expanded at Ela Beach and other sites to tackle plastic waste.
• Waste-to-energy recycling projects to convert plastics and tyres into electricity and eco-friendly materials.
• Ecological Park development at Baruni Landfill to process waste sustainably.
• Scholarships for marine science to build capacity in marine biology, botany, and entomology.
World Ocean Day, observed globally today, highlights the urgent need to protect marine species, biodiversity, coral reefs, and coastal zones.
Located at the heart of the Coral Triangle, Papua New Guinea is home to approximately 13,840 km² of coral reefs and around 600 islands, making ocean stewardship a national priority.
Governor Parkop concluded: “Plastic pollution, coral bleaching, and rising seas are not distant threats — they are here, eroding our coasts and endangering our food security.”