8 May 2024, Nukualofa Tonga - The Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) hosted at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is working with the Kingdom of Tonga to protect and restore an important piece of archaeological heritage in Tongatapu, the Popua Peninsula and Sia Heu Lupe Sites.
As part of the work, the PCCC with funding support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) will collaborate with the University of Melbourne to undertake a climate change vulnerability assessment for the Popua Peninsula and Sia Heu Lupe Sites, Tongatapu, as well as to develop an Integrated Climate Resilience Rehabilitation and Restoration Plan for the site.
Located at Va’e Popua, the historical site was investigated by the archaeologist W.C. McKern in the 1920s and later by Dirk Spenneman in 1987. It is a star-shaped complex of sia heu lupe, joined by an elaborate network of raised walkways, built by a powerful Tongan ruler around 500-600 years ago.
It is an important piece of archaeological heritage within the confines of Nuku'alofa that is of national historic significance. Given the impacts of climate change on the site, the Government of Tonga sought support for the protection and restoration of the site and requested SPREP, through the PCCC, for possible collaboration.
From 22-26 April 2024, a team from the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) was in Tonga to undertake stakeholder consultations with key Government departments, to outline the next steps for the collaboration.
The Chief Executive Officer of Tonga’s Ministry of Meteorology, Environment, Information, Disaster Management, Energy, Climate Change and Communication (MEIDECC), Mr Vatulele Tuputupu, expressed appreciation for the support and acknowledge that the intervention is timely and will contribute towards their efforts to effectively manage, restore and rehabilitate the site given its historical importance.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Lands and Survey Mr. Taaniela Kula presented on their previous initiative to develop of the Master Plan for Popua Peninsula and Islands. He welcomes the support from SPREP as being a catalyst to further consider climate related impacts and integrating in the climate resilience elements into a broader resilience master plan.
The PCCC Manager, Ms Ofa Ma’asi-Kaisamy, acknowledged the support by the Government of Tonga through MEIDECC and other key stakeholders. She said they are committed to ensure the proposed resilience master plan is completed.
The support was delivered through the PCCC innovation and research partnership frameworks and is part of the collaboration with countries to catalyse action and planning towards climate change resilience for PICTs.
The team from PCCC led by Ms Ma’asi-Kaisamy, which also included SPREP Climate Finance Readiness Adviser, Mr Fred Siho Patison and Ms Lilu Christina Moala as Support Officer, also met with the Speaker of the Tonga Legislative Assembly Lord Fakafanua to discuss further support to Tonga’s Parliament in their efforts to build resilience to climate change.