SoNG – The Ocean and the Land for the People

The SoNG programme (“Solwara Na Graun blo Pipol” in Tok Pisin, “The Ocean and the Land for the People” in English) supports the Government of Papua New Guinea in its efforts to preserve biodiversity and promote the sustainable and inclusive management of marine and forest ecosystems. It also contributes to improve living conditions for local communities and strengthen their resilience to climate change. 

SoNG aims to deliver the following results:

• Promote traditional knowledge and cultural practices related to biodiversity through training and research activities.
• Improve community-based natural resource management.
• Establish sustainable ecosystem management that supports both biodiversity conservation and improved livelihoods for communities, particularly women and youth.
• Strengthen the role of the Papua New Guinea Climate and Biodiversity Fund as a structuring, independent financial mechanism.

Comprehensive gender frameworks are also essential to ensure a professional, inclusive, and ethical working environment adapted to the socio-cultural and environmental realities of Papua New Guinea. 

The project includes four main areas of intervention, matching the programme’s key objectives.

The SoNG programme supports the strengthening of the protected areas network and the establishment of conservation measures aligned with community and civil society initiatives. Enhancing management capacities and developing sustainable agricultural and fisheries value chains ensure both community livelihoods and revenue generation. 

Activities are implemented using an integrated biodiversity approach, centred on preserving marine and forest ecosystems in close collaboration with local communities. They aim to reinforce livelihoods while supporting public policies related to protected areas, blue and green economies, and sustainable natural resource management.

SoNG will contribute to implementing national and provincial policies on protected areas and blue and green economies—particularly in Madang Province and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. Actions take into account consistency with initiatives led by local communities and civil society, in order to strengthen conservation outcomes. 

The programme supports research initiatives and scholarship schemes related to the recognition and promotion of traditional knowledge and cultural practices associated with biodiversity conservation and management.

Community-based conservation and sustainable natural resource management initiatives will also be highlighted, with particular attention paid to gender integration. 

The Papua New Guinea Climate and Biodiversity Fund is intended to become an independent legal entity providing long-term financing to protected areas, conservation measures, and climate-change mitigation actions. 

The Fund was created with support from UNDP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), in partnership with the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA). It now benefits from technical assistance from Expertise France to achieve full independence.