This report covers the technical assessment of the voluntary submission of Papua New Guinea on its proposed forest reference level (FRL) in accordance with decision 13/CP.19 and in the context of results-based payments. The FRL proposed by Papua New Guinea covers the activities reducing emissions from deforestation, reducing emissions from forest degradation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks, which are among the activities included in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70.

For its submission, Papua New Guinea developed a national FRL. The FRL presented in the original submission, for the reference period 2009–2018, corresponds to 40,518,579 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, after an upward adjustment owing to the Party’s status as a high-forest, low-deforestation country. As a result of the facilitative process during the technical assessment, Papua New Guinea provided a modified submission without altering the value of its FRL.

The assessment team notes that the data and information used by Papua New Guinea in constructing its FRL are transparent, complete and in overall accordance with the guidelines contained in decision 12/CP.17, annex. This report contains the assessed FRL and a few areas identified by the assessment team for future technical improvement in accordance with the provisions on the scope of the technical assessment contained in decision 13/CP.19, annex.