This policy paper investigates and analyses current and proposed levels of energy development and access in Papua New Guinea, with regards to the country’s Vision 2050 and the United Nations’ SDG Number 7. Despite the fact that Papua New Guinea is blessed with abundant natural resources of energy for domestic, commercial, industrial and mechanised agricultural uses, current levels of development and access have hovered around 13 percent of the GDP since political independence in 1975. Based on a structured interview of a random sample of 150 energy consumers in the various sectors of Lae industrial hub of PNG, aimed at promoting public participation in energy policy formulation, the paper analyses the perceptions of key energy stakeholders concerning published energy policy objectives for the period 2018-2028 for the country. After discussing findings from two research questions, strategic recommendations are made for achieving sustainable energy development, storage and distribution as well as for proper coordination of policies and implementation strategies across the country, in order for the country to meet the targets set out in the Energy Policy 2018-2028 and in Vision 2050 and to make the country economically competitive in the international arena.
Keywords: PNG Energy Policy 2018-2028, PNG Government, PNG’s Vision 2050, Sustainable Land Use Policy, United Nations’ SDGs, electricity access
