Tonga's Prime Minister Hon Dr Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa said the time for climate action is now, during the 25^th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP25) currently underway in Spain.

In delivering Tonga's national statement on December 10, he said Tonga is vulnerable to  the adverse effects of climate change. Tonga is the second most at risk country in the world to natural disasters, according to a 2016 World Risk Report.

"Climate change is the single greatest threat to Tonga and the Pacific Island countries and Tonga, therefore, stands in solidarity with all other Small Island Developing States in calling for urgent action to combat climate change.”

He said Tonga experienced unprecedented rates of coastal erosion, inundation, flash flooding, sea-level rise, and intensity of tropical cyclones like Tropical Cyclone Gita that hit Tonga in February 2018, which undermined Tonga’s capacity to respond and recover.

He believed that these climate change effects, were direct result of global warming.

He said Tonga was committed to ensuring rapid progress at the national level to implement the necessary actions toward achieving its NDC targets of 50% renewable energy by 2020, 70% by 2030 and 100% by 2035, and to improve energy efficiency through reduction of electricity line losses to nine percent by 2020.

Tonga also aims to double the 2015 number of Marine Protected Areas by 2030.

The Prime Minister called for strengthening partnerships between countries, governments, non-government organizations and private sectors toward the “enhancement of actions, support and synergies in the areas of technology, capacity building, and the mandatory financing, for effective implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change.”

Climate finance

An important issue for Tonga was accessing climate finance to fund the implementation and actions of various climate change policies and action plans.

The PM and delegation held bilateral meetings with various donor agencies and development partners such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Green Climate Fund (GCF), International Solar Alliance (ISA), New Zealand, and Norway, fostering closer mutual cooperation and partnerships to fight against climate change in Tonga.

As a result of Tonga’s participation at COP 23, 24 projects including the USD$23.8 million Climate Resilient Sector Project (CRSP) had constructed the Ha’apai Hospital, Hahake Foreshore, reconstruction of five primary schools, as well as seven Special Management Areas (SMA’s), Tonga Water Board Reservoirs and provided scholarships for Marine Science Bachelor degrees.

An additional US$26.1 million for the Outer Islands Renewable Energy Projects (OIERP) financed the costs of the solar farms in Ha’apai, ‘Eua, and Niuatoputapu; the solar mini- grids for Nomuka, Ha’afeva, ‘Uiha and Ha’ano; the grid-upgrade for Vava’u and ‘Eua; and the solar batteries for Niuafo’ou.

The Tonga Renewable Energy project (TREP) received US$53.2 million for solar batteries in Tongatapu, Matafonua, Kolovai, and Fahefa, and a fund of US$20 million for a Nuku’alofa Integrated Development.

The Fanga’uta Bridge US$45 million project, and proposed new multi million Climate Resilient pathway projects had yet to be determined by the Green Climate Fund. 

Tonga’s delegation included Minister for MEIDECC Hon Poasi Tei, Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet (Acting Secretary for Foreign Affair), Edgar Cocker, CEO for MEIDECC, Paula Ma'u, CEO for Finance Balwyn Fa’otusia and other government officials and fellows.

The 25^th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP25) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is attended by about 25,000 delegates comprising of world leaders and representatives from almost 200 countries.