Tonga Advances Climate Action with Validation Workshop for Second NDC Review Report

The Government of Tonga, through the Department of Climate Change under the Ministry of MEIDECC, successfully convened the national Validation Workshop for Tonga’s Second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 2.0) Review Report and initiated the process for developing Tonga’s Third NDC (NDC 3.0), scheduled for submission to the UNFCCC in 2025. The workshop was held at Tanoa Hotel, Nuku‘alofa, in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and with support from the NDC Partnership’s World Resources Institute (WRI) Partnership Action Fund (PAF), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and UN Women.

As part of its obligations under the Paris Agreement, Tonga is committed to updating its NDCs every five years to reflect progress, lessons learned, and increased ambition in addressing climate change. NDCs serve as Tonga’s climate action roadmap, outlining national commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening resilience to climate impacts.

The Validation Workshop brought together more than 40 representatives from government ministries, state-owned enterprises, civil society, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and development partners. Participants reviewed Tonga’s progress under NDC 2.0, which includes:

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector by 13% by 2030.
• Achieving 70% renewable electricity generation by 2030.
• Establishing national waste sector targets through expanding the formal waste collection.
• Developing Tonga’s national forest inventory.
• Maintaining existing fish stocks through expanding Marine Protected Areas and Special Management Areas to 30% of Tonga’s EEZ
• Expanding forestry and agroforestry coverage to 30% of land area.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Sione ‘Akau‘ola, Chief Executive Officer of MEIDECC, reaffirmed Tonga’s progress and commitment: “We have made proud achievements, such as reaching the one million trees milestone, expanding special management areas, and progressing towards renewable electricity generation targets. Today’s workshop is vital—it validates the findings and recommendations of the NDC 2.0 Review Report and sets the course for drafting NDC 3.0.”

The workshop provided a platform for technical experts and stakeholders to validate findings, identify gaps, and make recommendations for enhanced ambition across mitigation and adaptation sectors. Technical contributions from GGGI, ADB, and UN Women enriched discussions on data, inclusivity, gender, and alignment with international climate priorities.

In her closing remarks, Ms. Lu’isa Tu‘i’afitu Malolo, Director of the Department of Climate Change, underscored the collective shared responsibility and strong cooperation across all sectors of society in addressing climate change: “The NDC belongs to everyone. Achieving Tonga’s ambitious goals will require national cooperation”

The workshop concluded with broad consensus on priority actions and recommendations for strengthening Tonga’s climate ambition and finalizing the review report in the following days. These findings will directly inform the drafting of NDC 3.0, ensuring that Tonga’s enhanced climate commitments align with the Tonga Strategic Development Framework (TSDF), the National Climate Change Policy, JNAP2, and the Low-Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS).

Through this process, Tonga reaffirms its unwavering commitment to climate action—ensuring that NDC 3.0 not only addresses the urgency of the climate crisis but also supports inclusive, resilient, and sustainable national development.