Climate Change donor roundtable [1]
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 - 18:07
A two-day Climate Change Donor Roundtable started on August 14 at the National Reserve Bank of Tonga, and focused on Tonga’s Joint National Action Plan on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management for the decade 2018-2028.
Offshore donors, development partners and regional crop agencies come together with Tonga government officials, who are leading Tonga’s response to climate change.
The Minister of MEIDECC, Hon Poasi Tei said this platform offers great insight into the mechanics of climate change in Tonga, which allows for open and in depth dialogue that will focus on potential opportunities and enhanced partnerships towards transformational changes advocated in past years.
The Action Plan helps to maximize on climate resilient investments in Tonga.
This is the third roundtable, with the first in 2012 and second held in October last year.
The Minister said, Tonga’s Joint National Action Plan on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (JNAP2) is the showpiece of this forum.
"It is considered Tonga’s flagship instrument for exercising implementation of national change priorities across all sectors throughout all communities. It is also viewed as the most viable entry point for all climate change assistance to Tonga."
He said, the roundtable will showcase how far they have progressed in the last 10 months, present efforts currently underway and mostly important highlight the requisite changes and consequent assistance for safeguarding Tonga’s social economic, as well as environmental aspirations through a climate resilient and low emission development pathway.
At the same time, Tonga has recently updated numerous national climate change policy instruments in its drive to ensure we remain on par with national, regional and international obligations.
These instruments include NDC 2015, Climate Change Policy 2016, JNAP 2018-2028 and a Third National Communication to be launched on August 16, he said.
The first day of the roundtable included sessions on Climate Action overview, Climate Finance; Stocktaking Climate Change Initiatives, Climate Change Trust Fund, Tonga Climate Change Fund Bill, and Partnership in Accessing Climate Finance, among others.
Hosted by MEIDECC in partnership with the USAID, the roundtable ends tomorrow with the Government of Tonga meeting donors, development partners and regional agencies.