Tonga National Green Climate Fund Workshop
24th August 2016 The Chief Executive Officer of Climate Change under the Ministry of MEIDECC Mr. Paula Pouvalu Ma’u officially opened a one day Tonga National Green Climate Fund Workshop at Tungi Colonade, Nuku’alofa yesterday morning.
The workshop aimed to discuss with key Government Departments, Development Partners, GCF Accredited Entities, private sectors and civil society the mechanics of the GCF and Tonga’s ambitions to access and utilization of GCF resources.
Mr Paula Ma’u said that the climate change paradigm was at the forefront of today’s global issues, because of its impacts to global co-existence and it was more evident in low-lying islands of the Pacific region including Tonga.
“Our smallness in size, and low-lying and scattered geography, places Tonga as one many small islands living on the frontlines of climate change with Tonga having been identified as the third most-at-risk country in the world to natural hazards, which is further compounded by the adverse impacts of climate change,” he said.
Ma’u said the provisions of climate finance through the Green Climate Fund, will serve to boost Tonga’s effort in fulfilling its obligation under the UNFCCC Conventions and the Paris Agreement through the achievement of commitments as stated under the NDCs.
He also highlighted that the national workshop should be viewed as a precursor to Tonga’s GCF Readiness activities.
“Activities which will entail greater, wider, in-depth, and more inclusive consultation that will span all island groups, and involving all levels of society.”
“The simultaneous vertical and horizontal application to accessing and delivering climate finance is critical for ensuring a ‘whole of country’ approach in our battle against climate change.”
Acting New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga Ms Adele Plummer stated that the workshop provided an important opportunity the government and stakeholders to increase their understanding of the GCF mechanism.
“Today’s workshop provides a vital opportunity for the Government of Tonga and other stakeholders to gain a more tailored understanding of the Green Climate Fund mechanism as it relates to Tonga’s socio-economic context and to further develop GCF priorities and a national project pipeline,” she said.
Plummer stated that the Government of New Zealand supported the ongoing work to strengthen the capacity of the GCF Secretariat and to further streamline the Fund’s accreditation and proposal processes.
She also affirmed New Zealand’s commitment to work with Tonga to assist with the development of proposals by providing specialist engineering and design advice.
“New Zealand stands ready to work with Tonga and accredited entities to support the development of robust concept notes and proposals through the provision of specialist engineering and design advice that is central to the proposal development process.”
Present at the workshop were the GCF Regional Representatives Ms Coral Pasisi and the Development Manager for Climate Change Sustainable Economic Development Division from the Ministry of Foreign Affair and Trade New Zealand Dr Willy Morrell.
ENDS
Issued by the: Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications