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DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION & DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

CD 111: DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES & SUSTAINABILITY

MAJOR ESSAY WRITING - Sustainable Practices in Development Project

Project Name:

“NADZAB AIRPORT RE-DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (Oct 2015”

COURSE CODE: BSVY/1 DUE DATE: WEEK 10

FRIDAY, 28th APRIL, 2023.
GROUP #5
(1) RICHARD PAUL
ID#: 23401536
(2) BRIAN BUMBANDI TUTOR: MR. JACK YARO
ID#:
(3) JOSIAH YANDUO
ID#: 23401810

Introduction

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The major project that we'll be based on and do our assay write-up on is basically on Nadzab Airport Redevelopment
Project which has been started in October 2015. Nadzab Airport is situated in the suburban area of Lae City, the
capital of Morobe Province, which has the second largest population in Papua New Guinea. The Nadzab Airport
handles the second largest air passenger traffic and cargoes after Port Moresby's Jackson's Airport. Since its existing
facilities require large-scale improvements from a capacity and safety perspective. The government of Papua New
Guinea formally requested The Government of Japan for assistance to rehabilitate the airport. This is a redevelopment
project to upgrade the existing Nadzab airport to accommodate up to B767, B777, and B787 as alternate airport for
Jackson's Airport. The projects include widening and strengthening the existing runway, taxiway, and apron, and the
construction of new taxiways and apron. Improvement of aeronautical ground lights, new passenger terminal and
admin building, firefighting and rescue facilities, refurbishment of the existing terminal for Cargo, and construction of
utilities for a fully functioning international airport.

The project is part of the National Airports Cooperation – Business Strategy to partner with stakeholders including
provincial governments to achieve 15 Smart Airport by 2030 to drive the national government's aspiration for
increased accessibility, economic growth, and development. In 2012 PLANPAC developed a Strategic Land Use
Masterplan for Nadzab Central Strategic Plan, a business hub for Nadzab Airport, with 700 hectares of Greenfield
land on a 1,100-hectare site.

The purpose of re-developing Nadzab Airport is to facilitate and meet the future demands of air transportation of
international flights coming in and going out from the country and, our domestic flights within the country. The main
areas of re-development are; the construction of the terminal building, which can accommodate the passengers from
international and domestic flights. "The terminal will be an open-door terminal; people will not be restricted from
entering. This is so they can enjoy the spacious and modern facilities with coffee shops and food, and electronic kiosks
and ATMs there," Nou Stated (Loop PNG, March 21, 2023). Other areas are upgrading the runway which will enable
large planes from overseas to land here at Nadzab Airport, and upgrading part of taxi ways to move in and out from
the airport. This project also aims to meet the future demand for air transportation at Nadzab airport and to establish
an alternate international airport for Port Moresby (Jackson’s) international airport by accommodating large wide-
body jet aircraft, constructing an international and domestic new passenger terminal building and upgrading associated
facilities. This will improve the facilitation of air transportation and contribute to the economic growth of PNG.

However, there few more reasons why we chose this project topic to write about it. It is an ongoing and well-known
project in the country. Thus, we need to write something about the things that we have fair ideas about. Furthermore,
this project targets Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) No. 8 – Industrial, Innovation, and Infrastructure as well
as Goal No. 9 Decent Work and Economic Growth. This project promotes development-oriented policies that support
productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation and encourage the formalization
and growth of micro-small and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services.

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Before carrying out any development projects in local places or sites, there are always sustainable development goals
within a company for the co-workers to follow from the commencement of a particular project to the end of the
project. For the Nadzab Airport Redevelopment Project, environmental standards are required with the current loss
time injury. Therefore, noted that apart from other environmental problems, the organization’s sustainable
development goals were focused on these main four environmental aspects. Sustainable Land Use and Biodiversity,
Sustainable Waste Management, Deforestation and Loss of Vegetation and Food Insecurity

1. Land Use and Biodiversity

To redevelop/reconstruct an existing infrastructure in a particular area, it always comes with issues regarding the land
and its surrounding environment. The land belongs to the national government and was allocated for future
development. However, before any development commenced the locals were using the land for farming and grazing
cattle, for this reason, the construction of the airport caused a lot of issues concerning the local farmers there, thus
resulting in a displacement of farm animals and so disruption in the ecosystem as a whole. Therefore, the conversion
of the ecosystem and degradation contributes to the fragmentation of the habitat. By doing so habitat fragmentation on
the biodiversity isn't fully realized until it is fully degraded.

2. Waste Management (Disposal)

During the extension/redevelopment maintenance of the Lae Nadzab airport, most of the construction waste has been
produced in large quantities, however, the contractors failed to dispose it in a proper way with respect to the
surrounding environment thus directing the waste disposal pipeline into the nearby streams and waterways. As a
result, causing water pollution, air pollution and land contamination are some of the main issues that have direct
effects on the ecosystem in the long run.

3. Deforestation and Loss of Vegetation

During the phase of clearing the land for redevelopment, the vegetation has been lost drastically, this contributes to
deforestation which is one of the major issues concerning the environment. During construction, all the trees and
plants have been cleared leaving the land with hardly any vegetation. As it is known, vegetation has its natural process
(photosynthesis), resulting in a balance of gases in the ecosystem. Thus, destroying the plants and trees is nothing
more than a direct destruction to the source of oxygen and the natural system that counter-reacts the accumulating
amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, this causes the depletion of fresh air and an unbalanced increase in carbon-dioxide
gas within the environment.

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 4. Food Insecurity (Crop Damaged)

Foods that are the main crops from the farms that are found near the construction site have been impacted either
directly or indirectly by the project's chemical releases. In the construction process of the project, a huge amount of
poisonous chemicals has been released into the surroundings via gaseous and liquefied forms, these hazardous
chemicals in their various states (either liquefied or gaseous) are then evaporated and condensed up in the clouds for a
certain period awaiting precipitation. During the stage of precipitation, the condensed chemicals fall as acid rain on
the farms (crops) and into the water tanks of the homes. The crops are then harvested for food and the tank waters are
being used for drinking and cooking in the homes. This will have a tremendous impact on the food chain through
biomagnification, henceforth it can affect human food consumption.

At this point, some of the background types of sustainability activities or practices the organization should use to
address these four identified environmental factors for the Nadzab and the surrounding communities. Before
organizations or companies carry out a particular construction plan or a development plan, there should be some sort
of sustainable practices set in place before the construction or development takes place. The construction company is
facing a growing challenge which is a balance between their construction and operation with the safeguard of natural
ecosystems and biodiversity conservation under pressure from their activities. One of the environmental factors that
should be considered, is the Biodiversity and Land Use. The presence of wildlife at the project site which is Nadzab
Airport and the surrounding operational areas is a safety hazard and a well-known risk for the company to consider
and find sustainable practices to minimize or control it.

To maintain biodiversity and land use, the organization carrying out the construction must consider these factors
before commencing their activities on a particular site or a piece of land, as a sustainable practice.

 The landscape and the features of that environment. (Rainforest or grassland).

 The people living in that particular area. (Settlers or landowners).
 The farming activities they do on that piece of land and the livestock they graze.
 Are there any other suggestions for them to earn income and find food if their crops are destroyed?
 How will that piece of land look after the completion of the project (Natural and physical features)?

By looking at these factors the organization will come up with sustainable practices like controlling their waste from
spilling into creeks and water sources that people use. Another sustainable practice is to Plant some trees of the same
type in a forest before you cut down that forest and after the completion of the project, all their construction waste
must be removed and disposed in a waste facility.

The construction industry is a waste-intensive industry with the potential environmental impact at every step in the
process of extracting raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, construction, and disposal of general and
hazardous waste. To manage waste disposal the organization or company must have adequate planning and order

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products in amounts that they will use and there will be no leftovers around as waste after the project is completed.
They should also store their working equipment in a proper place to avoid weather conditions to cause damage on
them, when something is damaged, it is of no use and left there as waste. Construction sites also have the potential to
generate hazardous waste due to the use of certain chemicals, paint, and fuel that need to be responsibly disposed of at
a hazardous waste facility. Hazardous substances should also be stored in an impermeable area when not in use or
disposed of. Plans for waste disposal must give way to waste management.

Other sustainable practices to minimize waste disposal are as follows;

Implementation – having a comprehensive waste management plan in place before construction

commences will be beneficial in the long run.
Research Vendors – quality vendors will provide waste containers and/or have the flexibility to
remove recyclables and waste from the site as it is generated, to prevent waste build-up.
Recycling – placing recycling bins around the site will reduce the amount of waste collected in waste
skips/ cages
Reduce Packaging – purchasing materials in bulk will reduce expense and waste from individually
packaged materials.
Reuse Scraps – When possible, reuse scraps instead of cutting new materials.
Organizations – A well-ordered construction site will produce less waste. Clearly outlining the site
will make it easier for workers to know where to dispose of different types of waste, increasing
productivity and efficiency.

Forests are one of the most important ecosystems on Earth. About 80 percent of the terrestrial plants, insects, and
animals call forests home, and also nearly one-third of the people in the world depend directly on forests for their
livelihoods. In other parts of the world, people live in swamp areas where they also depend on swamps in their own
ways to survive. Therefore, when a development or construction project is about to commence in a particular area
there should be some sort of sustainable practice carried out like;

Plant a Tree – most straightforward personal strategy to fight against deforestation is to plant a tree
when you cut down a tree.
Practice eco-Forestry – is a restorative method of forest management, which is not based on economic
productivity. In this practice, selective trees are being cut down causing minimal damage to the rest of
the forest. If you own a piece of forest, follow this principle for they will pay you back in the long run
more than the profit focused on short- term forestry.
Support Organizations that Fight Deforestation – numerous international and locally-focused
organizations strive to protect the forest from deforestation and apply sustainable forestry practices.

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Food Insecurity is when there is not enough food in a family or a group of people to feed themselves. This may be due
to some reasons like, only one person in the family is employed, only one person in the family is working hard while
others are lazy or their source of food and income are being damaged.

Regarding this matter, any organization or company should have sustainable practices in place before carrying out
their projects. People whose crops and livestock are on the development site must be well informed in advance so that
they will transplant their crops onto another piece of land and also move their livestock to another place. If their food
source and livestock are damaged the organization or government should give them some benefit to avoid food
insecurity.

From the Nadzab Airport Redevelopment Project, we identifying two Sustainable Development Goals and they are;

 SDG No. 8 – Industrial, Innovation and Infrastructure

 SDG No. 9 - Decent Work and Economic Growth.

However, stated are two targets that were considered to be significant to alleviate the environmental problems that
arise within the projects. From this perspective the two major targets are;

Economic Growth and Job Opportunities

According to IMF, the employed population breakdown according to the industry is 72.3%, 3.6%, and 22.70%,
respectively. The GDP share an industry-wise employees' is breakdown suggests manufacturing is biased towards
capital incentive sectors and does not provide enough job opportunities. Since the project took over that place, many
young youths and men from the surrounding, areas and blocks involved in getting part-time jobs like security,
cleaners, carpenters, road builders as well as operators and drivers for that contracting company. It helps them in
sustaining the livelihood of their family in terms of finance and also provides for them.

Particularly, the project also builds the economic growth of people living in that areas. For example, they might build
their canteen stores, have table markets, and mothers provide fresh food from the garden to sell because there are a lot
of workers there due to the opportunity for jobs. It also provokes that this place will turn into an industrial sector.
Economic growth is driven sometimes by consumer spending and business investment. Increases in labor inputs, such
as the project of redevelopment of Nadzab airport increase the economic growth in that particular area.

Environment and social consideration

Environmental and social consideration means considering environmental impacts on air water, soil, ecosystem, flora,
and fauna as well as social impact including involuntary resettlement and respect for the human rights of indigenous
people and so on.

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Eventually, some environmental and social considerations need to be considered by the JICA Cooperation Scheme
(Yen Loan Project) that took up this project and it includes;

 Land acquisition and resettlement

 Water supply
 Power supply
 Road and infrastructures
 Schools and health centers

It is a company’s responsibility to look into those areas and help out the settlers and landowners to provide them with
their basic needs such as water supplies, power supplies, roads and infrastructures, and schools and health centers to
cater for them. It is also their responsibility to resettle and provide the settlers in project site areas to have a better place
to live.

References;

 Environmental Justice Atlas (Internet source)

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  Jordan, R. (2017). The Project for the Study on Lae-Nadzab Development Plan in Papua New
Guinea. Japan International Cooperation Agencies. Lae Urban Local Level Government.

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