INCEPTION WORKSHOP OF TONGA’S FOURTH NATIONAL COMMUNICATION

Figure 1 – Stakeholders attending the inception workshop

6^th October 2022, The Department of Climate Change (DCC) at the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Communication and Climate Change (MEIDECC) hosted a national inception workshop for Tonga’s Fourth National Communication Report (4NC) on Wednesday, the 5^th of October at the Faónelua Convention Centre.

To meet Tonga’s reporting obligations as a non-Annex 1 Party to the United Nations Framework convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Department is developing the 4NC on climate change to be communicated to the UNFCCC with assistance from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). In accordance with its commitments, Tonga submitted its Initial National Communication (INC) in 2005, its Second National Communication (SNC) in 2012, and its Third National Communication (TNC) in 2020.

Figure 2 – Mr. Mafua Maka delivering the opening remarks at the workshop

Mr Mafua Maka, Director for NEMO, delivered the opening remarks on behalf of the CEO for MEIDECC, highlighted the importance of the 4NC project building on the work that was carried out in the previous TNC and not only for reporting purposes but to see the progress Tonga has made in addressing climate change.

He  stated, “Here today, we will officially launch Tonga’s Fourth National Communication project and begin discussions with you relevant stakeholders regarding the objectives, expected outcomes, and outputs of this project in the hope of continuing to foster and establish ownership and active partner engagement throughout the project’s lifetime.“

Figure 3 – Ms. Akesiu Fifita, Project Manager of the 4NC Project

At the workshop, Ms. Akesiu Fifita, Project Manager and colleagues from UNDP joining virtually presented the project’s expected outcomes and outputs to stakeholders. Stakeholders were then given the opportunity to discuss and provide feedback on the overview of the project’s result framework, annual work plan and stakeholder engagement plan in their various sectors of mitigation and adaptation.

Ms Susan Tuítavake & Mr Metui Falesiva from MAFF

Waste Sector group discussion

Industrial Processes and Product Use (IPPU) Sector group discussion

Mitigation group with the Project Manager, Ms Akesiu Fifita during their discussion

Energy Sector group discussion

L-R: Ms Loiloi Latu from the 4NC team with Ms. Luísa Manuofetoa from the Ministry of Internal Affair

The inception workshop was attended by a variety of stakeholders from government line ministries, public enterprises, non-government organizations (NGOs) and private sector, and colleagues from the UNDP joined virtually.

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