Climate Change Resilience
A new Letter of Agreement has been signed between the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Government of Tonga to support urgently needed climate change adaptation activities in the country.
The formal Agreement will see SPREP provide capacity development and technical advisory support to Tonga to develop concepts and project proposals for submission to the Adaptation Fund Board.
In March 2015, SPREP was accredited as a Regional Implementing Entity (RIE) under the Green Climate Fund under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This is another milestone after being accredited an RIE under the Kyoto Protocol Adaptation Fund of the UNFCCC in November 2013. This milestone accreditation has made SPREP one of only three such RIE's in the world.
"The water and coastal projects for Hihifo under the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change project, provides us with a good indication of the kind of urgent and immediate support we need to give our communities so we can respond to climate extreme events such as drought and cyclones. I could see the benefits for our people as they prepare these responses to climate events we are witnessing both here and those happening around the Pacific" says Mr. Paula Ma'u, CEO for Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications, MEIDECC.
"I'm very pleased therefore to be signing this Agreement which will see Tonga benefit from the expertise and support of SPREP and partners to apply for funding for this crucial work to continue."
At the signing on 23 March this year, SPREP's Director General, Mr David Sheppard, said this was an urgent need as projects such as PACC come to an end as adaptation planning must go hand in hand with security of funds for adaptation work on the ground. "While the PACC project in Tonga is coming to a close next month, this Letter of Agreement is timely in formalising our commitment to partner with Tonga and working together to advance work on the ground and ensure submission of concepts and proposals to the Adaptation Fund Board is on time."
Some of the most urgent and immediate activities to be developed for submission of funds, will centre around management of ground water resources and carry out important coastal protection measures that protect community livelihood from localised effects of accelerated sea level rise.
Given the low confidence level of the latest climate science findings that drought frequency is projected to decrease slightly on Tonga, the adaptation initiatives will address proactive responses to ensure that water supply and distribution throughout the country allows for enough water available to last any drought period.
The formal Agreement will see SPREP provide capacity development and technical advisory support to Tonga to develop concepts and project proposals for submission to the Adaptation Fund Board.
In March 2015, SPREP was accredited as a Regional Implementing Entity (RIE) under the Green Climate Fund under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This is another milestone after being accredited an RIE under the Kyoto Protocol Adaptation Fund of the UNFCCC in November 2013. This milestone accreditation has made SPREP one of only three such RIE's in the world.
"The water and coastal projects for Hihifo under the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change project, provides us with a good indication of the kind of urgent and immediate support we need to give our communities so we can respond to climate extreme events such as drought and cyclones. I could see the benefits for our people as they prepare these responses to climate events we are witnessing both here and those happening around the Pacific" says Mr. Paula Ma'u, CEO for Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications, MEIDECC.
Photo: Joe Lavulo
At the signing on 23 March this year, SPREP's Director General, Mr David Sheppard, said this was an urgent need as projects such as PACC come to an end as adaptation planning must go hand in hand with security of funds for adaptation work on the ground. "While the PACC project in Tonga is coming to a close next month, this Letter of Agreement is timely in formalising our commitment to partner with Tonga and working together to advance work on the ground and ensure submission of concepts and proposals to the Adaptation Fund Board is on time."
Some of the most urgent and immediate activities to be developed for submission of funds, will centre around management of ground water resources and carry out important coastal protection measures that protect community livelihood from localised effects of accelerated sea level rise.
Given the low confidence level of the latest climate science findings that drought frequency is projected to decrease slightly on Tonga, the adaptation initiatives will address proactive responses to ensure that water supply and distribution throughout the country allows for enough water available to last any drought period.