Tonga hosts Workshop on Pilot Program for Climate Resilience

02nd June 2016 The Government of Tonga hosts a four- day workshop on Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR) Results Monitoring, Reporting and Stakeholder Engagement from 1-2 June 2016 at Tungi Colonnade, Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu and 3-4 June, 2016 at Puataukanave Hotel, Neiafu, Vava’u.

The workshop was officially opened by the Honorable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Climate Change (MEIDECC), Honorable Siaosi Sovaleni.

Team from the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) led by Ms Rachael Allen (Senior Program Coordinator for PPCR) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) led by Mr. Jude Kohlhase (team leader for Tonga SPCR) attended this workshop. Representatives from Samoa, Papua New Guinea, government ministries and NGOs were also participated in the workshop.

The Pilot Program for Climate Resilience is funded under the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) and it is implemented by the Multi-lateral Development Banks (MDBs). This program was established to assist developing countries transform to a climate resilient development path consistent with poverty reduction and sustainable development goals. The Pacific region is one of the two regional and nine country pilots under this program. The Pacific PPCR has 4 components which are country activities in three countries including Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Samoa and a regional track component.

Tonga’s PPCR is in two phases. Phase I is the formulation of a Strategic Program for Climate Resilience and Phase 11 is the implementation of Phase 1 (SPCR).

CIF has granted Tonga USD$20M to implement its SPCR. Government of Tonga’s contribution to this program is USD$3.88M. The Asian Development Bank is the leading agency for Tonga’s SPCR.

Honorable Sovaleni has conveyed the appreciation of the Government of Tonga to CIFs and ADB for providing resources to implement Tonga’s SPCR and for making this workshop possible.

He stated that Tonga has been adversely affected by climate change with major environmental, economic and social consequences including impacts on agricultural production, food security, water and coastal resources and its current climate change and related programs, projects and activities mainly focus on reducing vulnerability hence increasing its resilience to climate change impacts

Hon. Sovaleni also stated that the total greenhouse gas emission (GHG) of Tonga is negligible compared to the global emission however Tonga  has set its national targets to mitigate its own GHG emission. “Tonga commits to implement our actions outlined in the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) with our target to deliver 70% access to Renewable Energy by 2030.  Tonga is also committed to the implementation of its Climate Change Policy that was approved by Cabinet in February 2016 in working towards achieving a resilient Tonga by 2035. Tonga is the first country in the Pacific to develop a Joint National Action Plan on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management. Tonga also commits to the formulation of its Joint National Action Plan on climate change adaptation and disaster risk management 2016-2026 by 2016 to build on the ongoing work of JNAP 2010-2015.” he said.

Tonga’s SPCR consists of the following major outputs;  mainstreaming climate resilience into development planning of key vulnerable sectors,improving capacity to monitor and manage Tonga climate data and information, establishing a sustainable financing mechanism to support community based climate change adaptation responsive investments and increasing eco-system resilience and climate infrastructure investments.

Amongst these outputs there are priority activities under each output including; climate change Trust Fund (CCTF) development and management, management and monitoring of community projects financed by CCTF, climate proofing of critical infrastructures such as climate proofing schools, post disaster access roads and evacuation road,hahake coastal protection, relocation of Lifuka hospital,outer island marine landing, improvement of the National Meteorological and Coastal Monitoring and Data dissemination and Early Warning System, mangrove inventory and re-plantation program, climate Change Scholarship Program, professional capacity building and training program and the establishment of special managed areas (SMAs) under fisheries in 7 pilot communities in Vava’u

The workshop was organized by the Government of Tonga in close collaboration with CIFs-ADB. It will continue on in Vava’u and visitation to program pilot communities will be also conducted.

END

Issued by the: Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications