JNAP Taskforce – Training on Green Climate Fund’s (GCF’s) No Objection Procedure

The Department of Climate Change ended the month with a technical training for the Task Force of the Joint National Action Plan on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management also commonly referred to as the JNAP. The first part of the 2-day training took place on the 28th of April at the Latter-Day Saints Hall located on Vaha’akolo Road, Nuku’alofa, which was facilitated by the National Designated Authority (NDA) Readiness Unit and focused on understanding the processes of the NDA’s No Objection Procedure (NObP) for engaging with the Green Climate Fund or ‘GCF’.

Ms. Fololita Sila, Head of Policy and Planning Division at the Department of Climate Change, commenced the training by highlighting one of the key objectives of the JNAP2 (2018-2028) is to secure and mobilize the required finances and resources for building ‘A Resilient Tonga by 2035’. The national coordinator, Ms. Elizabeth ‘Akau’ola, then explained that the NObP is a Government of Tonga process for ensuring that all project ideas or concepts seeking GCF funding complies with the country’s strategic development plans and policies.

The JNAP Taskforce, which consolidates technical experts across the sectors, are tasked by the NDA to screen and recommend project ideas or concepts for further development with accredited entities and submission to the GCF. To ensure this national mechanism is in place and effective, it will then limit not only duplication of project concept submissions to the Fund, but also the amount of feedback that usually occurs between the county and the Fund’s review committee.

The training also included a group exercise of the NObP Screening Report on a project concept for ‘integrating waste management solutions in Tonga’ submitted by the Waste Authority Ltd (WAL). The exercise was successful and the JNAP Secretariat has passed on the Task Force’s recommendations to the NDA’s final approval as a national priority to achieving Target 11 of the JNAP2 for establishing ‘a zero-waste policy’ and the Tonga Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for mitigating carbon emissions. The NDA focal point, the CEO for MEIDECC is also responsible for submitting a letter of request to the proper accredited entity that will co-develop the project concept with the country executing entity(ies) and submit to the Green Climate Fund.

End.

Issued by: the Department of Climate Change