Two keynote speakers at the opening of a National Dialogue on "Green Growth" today agreed that Tongans need to consider how they can balance economic development with care for their natural environment.

Tonga's Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni and the Australian High Commissioner to Tonga HE Mr Andrew Ford both urged participants to turn discussions over the next few days into lasting action.

Participants have come from all over Tonga from Civil Society groups, government, donor partners and the private sector to talk about how to meet sustainable development goals in Tonga through "Green Growth".

Mr Ford explained  "Green Growth" was a relatively new consideration of the impact our economic development was making on our global environment.

"In a small isolated country like Tonga, it’s important that economic growth does not lead to rapid degradation of limited natural resources," he said.

He congratulated Tonga for having already ratified last year's Paris Agreement on climate change.

Mr Ford also mentioned that the Green Climate Fund is an important source of finance to support developing countries to grow their economies in a sustainable way and help them adapt to climate change

"As Co-Chair of the GCF Board, Australia is working to streamline the Fund’s processes and ensure support flows to the most vulnerable countries, including Pacific Island countries."

He said the participants in this week's National Dialogue should "dream big about the sort of country you want Tonga to be in 20 years, 50 years or 100 years."

Pathway to sustainable development

Hon. Sovaleni said that at the end of the dialogue a declaration on a preferred pathway to sustainable resilient economic development would be submitted to Government.

"This conference needs to demonstrate a different kind of leadership, a leadership that brings innovation and action. We need to engage in a way that will move us forward to a shared vision…," he said.

Discussions

Attending the opening of the National Dialogue at the Loumaile Lodge conference room this morning was the Guest of Honour HRH Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukālala, Lord Vaea, Deputy Patron of Tonga National Leadership Development Forum (TNLDF) and Hon Penisimani Fifita, Minister of Internal Affairs.

Topics for discussion today included Oceans Conservation; Community Enterprise and Eco-tourism; Food Security, Organic Agriculture and Waste Management.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, the meeting will discuss Youth Innovation, Technology and Trade; Green and Renewable Energy; Climate Change and Green Finance, and conclude with a presentation of final outcomes.

Delegate speakers from the region include, Dr Viliami Fakavae (FAO), Taholo Kami (International Union for Conservation of Nature), Mark Borg (Pacific Islands Development Forum) and Clark Peteru (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Program).

The Dialogue is a collective initiative of the Government (MEIDECC and MIA), Civil Societies Forum of Tonga, Pacific Leadership Development Forum and Tonga Chamber of Commerce.