National consultation on the draft Tonga NDC Implementation Roadmap and NDC Investment Plan

27^th August, 2021 As a follow up to the inception workshop in May this year, the Department of Climate Change and its working partners, the Regional Pacific NDC Hub and Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) with consultancy counterpart Castalia, conducted a national stakeholder consultation workshop on the draft Tonga Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Implementation Roadmap and NDC Investment Plan (including project pipeline) at Faónelua Centre, Nukuálofa.

The goal of the NDC Implementation Roadmap and Investment Plan is to chart a strategic pathway and implementation plan in order to achieve the targets set out in Tonga’s Second NDC, which was submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2020.

In his opening remarks, Mr Paula  Pouvalu Ma’u, CEO for MEIDECC reiterated the importance of the document in “achieving Tonga’s NDC targets by setting out practical steps and tangible projects”. Mr Maú also thanked the Regional Pacific NDC Hub, GGGI and Castalia for assisting Tonga with this important document, to accelerate the implementation of Tonga’s Second NDC. Mr Maú also acknowledged the workshops participants, their ongoing support towards the Department of Climate Change and their valuable contributions to the development of the NDC Implementation Roadmap and NDC Investment Plan.

The Tonga NDC Implementation Roadmap document consists of contextual information needed to understand Tonga’s NDC targets and barriers to achieving the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets in the agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) sector and waste sector, and the adaptation and resilience targets in the AFOLU and marine protected areas (MPAs) sector.

The NDC Investment Plan includes a project pipeline, consisting of fifteen mitigation and adaptation projects, outlining potential greenhouse gas reductions, costs, co-benefits, capacity requirements, and potential to attract funding from donors. This document aims to help generate interest from potential financiers and partners, who can support the implementation of the NDC projects through technical and financial assistance. Successful implementation of the project pipeline will contribute to achieving the ambitious targets of Tonga’s Second NDC.

The national consultation was attended by over 50 stakeholders from government and non-government organizations relevant to the AFOLU, waste Sector and MPAs sectors. As the next steps, the valuable feedback and insights received from the national stakeholders and sector experts at the consultation will be used to further develop and fine-tune the draft NDC Implementation Roadmap and NDC Investment Plan.

The Tonga NDC Implementation Roadmap and NDC Investment Plan including project pipeline are envisaged to be launched later in November this year.

Participants in the AFOLU Sector during the breakout group session

Participants in the MPA Sector during the breakout group session

ENDS

Issued by the: Department of Climate Change (MEIDECC)