Two vital national plans for Tonga were launched during an Exhbition Day, concluding the National Climate Change Awareness Week, on 23 September in Nuku’alofa.

Acting Prime Minister Hon. Samiu Vaipulu launched Tonga's National Determined Contributions (NDC) Implementation Roadmap and Investment Plan with Project Pipeline, as well as the Tonga Energy Roadmap 2021-2035.

Both were approved by Cabinet in September this year. 

He said the NDC Implementation Roadmap is a milestone for Tonga and its contributions to the Paris Agreement, which Tonga ratified on 21 September, 2016.

The Tonga Energy Roadmap, is a document, which will help guide Tonga towards achieving its ambitious energy goals. These goals are not limited to renewable electricity but also transportation, energy security, gender inclusion and data management, he said.

"I am sure that these official documents will be used by MEIDECC,” he said and it will help them seek funding from donors and development partners, as well as the Government of Tonga for their implementations.

He said the effects of climate change continued to threaten our environment - the land, ocean and marine resources, and the livelihood and existence of the people of Tonga.

“As science tells us, the impacts of climate change are rapidly intensifying Tonga’s vulnerabilities and eroding its capacity for resilience,” he said.

"Tonga is committed to implement necessary climate actions, towards achieving its targets for a resilient Tonga by 2035, under the Tonga Climate Change Policy 2016, the joint National Action Plan on climate change and disaster risk management 2018-2028 is nationally determined contributions and its long-term low emission development strategy to the Paris Agreement."

At the same time, he said that Tonga re-emphasised the urgency and the need to strengthen the partnerships with donors and development partners. Areas of technology transfer and development capacity building for effective implementation of our climate change policy, joint action plan on climate change and disaster risk management towards building a resilient Tonga are areas needing support.  

"Today’s occasion is a testament to the spirit of MEIDECC’s collaborations with various stakeholders including donors and development partners, cabinet ministers, politicians and non-government organizations, people with disabilities, local communities, youths and schools."

Green transition

Director-General of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Dr. Frank Rijsberman said they now had 43-member countries, with five in the Pacific, including Tonga. 

"We were set up to support governments in their green transition, a model of economic growth that provides more green jobs and makes economies more resilient. 

“In the last few years we have worked in close partnership with our host MEIDECC and embedded staff on a number of key documents, the NDC, Energy Roadmap and the TERM Plus that we are pleased to launch with your presence here, Acting Prime Minister."

He acknowledged the financial support from the Government of New Zealand that has finacially supported their contribution to TERM Plus

"More importantly, I am looking forward to working closely with MEIDECC, Ministry of Finance and other Tongan partners to implement the TERM Plus to help achieve that ambitious target of 70% renewal energy by 2025 and the use of that renewable energy to make the transport sector more sustainable and help make Tonga more resilient."

Meanwhile, the program also had relevant stakeholders and communities display their climate action plans and works, with prizes awarded to winners of climate change competitions from schools.