Results for Environment

Only two out of 33 earthquakes that occurred in Tonga during the month of August were felt, according to the new Tonga Geological Services Seismic Bulletin of 4 September. The number of earthquakes was not unusual for Tonga, which is located within the Pacific Ring of Fire.

A new seawall at the low-lying areas of Kolovai and ‘Ahau on western Tongatapu was commissioned on June 26, as part of a development to withstand storm surges and protect communities.

Tonga's national treasure the Fanga’uta Lagoon Catchment, home to 64 per cent of the population of Tongatapu, is seriously polluted and remains unhealthy because of long-term mismanagement, neglect and blatant disregard of laws that were designed to protect it. Although a healthy lagoon is able to clean itself, Fanga‘uta Lagoon is receiving levels of pollutants that far exceed what it can assimilate.

Three important multi-million pa'anga Climate Resilience Sector Projects were commissioned on November 18, at vulnerable low-lying areas on the Eastern District (Hahake) of Tongatapu.

Tongan geologist Taaniela Kula said this evening that a Late Iki Island (also known as Metis Shoal) eruption over the last two days was emitting only steam, heat and gas into the atmosphere. While there may be a hazard within 4-5 kilometers radius of the vent, another hazard may be volcanic fog that can form downwind from the island causing inconvenience in civil aviation and maritime operations.

Haveluliku youth planted 200 Kauri trees (Agathis robusta) on September 24 under a project which aims to strengthen communities resilience by enhancing land tenure systems.

An exhibition held under the theme ‘Increase Climate Action to Save Tonga’ saw government departments, civil society organisations, private sector, and others showcase what they are doing to combat climate change at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall today, 16 August.

An exhibition explaining the science behind climate change and its effects was officially launched on 11 June at the Taufa’ahau Tupou IV Domestic Wharf. The exhibition was initiated by scientists working in Antarctica who felt the public needed to be informed about the impacts they were seeing caused by climate change.

A group of students from Cornell University, an Ivy League research university in Ithaca, New York, were in Nuku’alofa last week to look at the impact of climate change in Tonga as part of their workshop focusing on the Pacific.