Enhancing transparency of actions and flow of finance toward Tonga’s Second Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)

Updating the national Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of Means of Implementation (MOI) Tool in accordance with the Paris Agreement

 Figure 1 – Participants from Government, Non-government and Public-Private Enterprises at the workshop with CEO for MEIDECC (seated far right), Mr. Paula Pouvalu Ma’u

Nuku’alofa, Tonga – Wednesday, 24^th August 2022, The Department of Climate Change hosted a national consultation workshop to update its Measurement, Reporting and Verification of Means of Implementation for Tonga’s Second Nationally Determined Contributions.

This collaboration is between the Department of Climate Change and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under Climate Promise Initiative. The workshop was financially supported by Tonga’s NDA Strengthening & Country Programming Readiness Programme under the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and is a step ahead from the earlier achievement made in the virtual validation workshop for Tonga’s MRV of MOI Framework held in May.

Participants were provided with further insight into understanding and utilizing the MRV of MOI Excel to update information pathways in which capacity building, technology transfer and finance is needed or received in their respective sectors or sub-sectors. Further discussions were facilitated in breakout groups consisting of Energy, Agriculture, Forestry & Other Land Uses (AFOLU), Waste, Industrial Processes & Product Uses (IPPU), and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The main presentation was delivered via webinar by Consultant, Mr. Douglas Marett, who worked with the DCC’s Mitigation Division to develop Tonga’s MRV of MOI Framework in 2021 and is now developing the software roadmap for digitizing the Tool in the next steps of establishing this process with the Tonga Government.

In his opening remarks the CEO for MEIDECC, Mr. Paula Ma’u continued to acknowledge the rapport fostered between the national and international partners and the importance of the discussions to follow toward echoing the Goals and Visions of the upcoming COP27 for accelerating global climate action through emissions reduction, scaling up of adaptation efforts and enhancing flows of climate financing.

In attendance were representatives from numerous government line ministries, public-private enterprises, and from non-government organizations (NGOs) responsible for planning and implementing various sector-driven activities with partners and donors, the general public and international platforms, toward achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals. Representative from the Government’s National Planning Division stressed as well for line ministries to reflect all indicators of progress in their Corporate Plans but also for non-government organizations including public-private enterprises to collaborate with their partner ministry to report actions and support received so that NPD can better iterate to the Government’s Budget Division the actions and support needed at the national level.

To wrap up today’s half-day consultation, the National Coordinator of Tonga’s Readiness Programme with the GCF, Ms. Elizabeth ‘Akau’ola again emphasized the significance of the MRV of MOI tool not just for meeting Tonga’s responsibility of reporting under the Paris Agreement and achieving Tonga’s NDC targets but for strengthening data collection and information dissemination so to enhance knowledge of climate-responsive, sustainable practices on the ground.

Figure 2 – CEO for MEIDECC, Mr. Paula Ma’u delivering the welcoming remarks.

Figure 3 – Consultant, Mr. Douglas Marett (on screen) presenting to workshop participants.

Figure 4 – Participants (from Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Forestry, Tonga Water Board and Chamber of Commerce) during the workshop presentation.

Figure 5 – Participants at the workshop from the Ministry of Lands & Natural Resources, Ministry of Fisheries, National Planning Division, Tonga Power Limited and Dept. of Energy-MEIDECC.

Figure 6 – Participants in the Energy breakout group from Tonga Power Limited, Department of Energy & Ministry of Infrastructure.

Figure 7 – Participants in the IPPU sector breakout group from Ministry of Revenue and Customs, Ministry of Trade and Economic Development & National Reserve Bank of Tonga.