Photos by Mary Lyn Fonua

Tonga at COP23 last week in Bonn, Germany, called for the establishment of Climate Change as a core security issue and stressed the need for Small Island Developing States to build resilience, warning that inaction will ultimately lead to "an undermining of our national sovereignty, our national autonomy, our national security."

Paula Ma’u, head of Tonga's delegation, spoke of unprecedented rates of coastal erosion in Tonga, and said it is undeniable that the effects of climate change increasingly threaten the existence of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

As CEO for MEIDECC, the Ministry which includes Environment and Climate Change, he noted that the islands vulnerabilities are rapidly increasing and swiftly eroding their capacities for resilience.

In presenting Tonga’s statement at a high plenary meeting, Paula said SIDS success or failure hinged on the need to rapidly build resilience, and the urgent need for support to address adaptation as well as loss and damage.

But he warned that time for an effective response is running out for small islands.

Disappearance

“Such development efforts continue to be hampered by unprecedented rates of coastal erosion, increasing occurrences of flash flooding, effects which are further compounded by tropical cyclones that are predicted to increase in intensity."

He said this disturbing reality in the long term will see our demise as small island nation-state, and ultimately result in our disappearance as a people and a culture.

“A despondent fate that will be sealed through low ambitions, weak action and inaction at worst.”

"The co-existence [of climate change effects] will ultimately lead to undermining our national sovereignty, our national autonomy, our national security, and is cause in calling on the establishment of climate change as a core security issue."

Climate financing

He said capacities needed to be strengthened, and enhanced, which would catalyze the required efforts for achieving and safeguarding our sustainable development aspirations.

He said that support can be effectively achieved through the simplification of modalities for accessing international climate financing mechanism, and the establishment of a fast-track mechanism for resilience building and development in SIDS.

Financing is channelled through numerous initiatives such as the Green Climate Fund, that can be further enhanced through a strengthened presence in the Pacific region.

"We welcome the simplified approval process for the Green Climate Fund.”

UN Security Council

Tonga called on the United Nations Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative on Climate Change and Security, and to have Climate Change and Security as a permanent agenda item for the UN Security Council.

Paula told the meeting that the implementation of the Paris Agreement brings new hope.

“A hope that rests on the conscience of the global citizens. The early entry into force just prior to COP22 in Morocco signaled the next steps for a global partnership in the battle against the effects of climate change, a partnership to now be steered and guided by the Government of Fiji and in unison with the global community,” he said.