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Tonga adopts policies to achieve NDC targets and Renewable Energy goals

Tongatapu, Kingdom of Tonga, Tuesday September 23rd, 2022.

The Honorable Samiu Kuita (Acting Prime Minister), Chief Executive Officer, Paula Ma’u for the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC), His Excellency Matthew Howell New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Tonga and Global Green Growth Institute´s (GGGI) Director General, Frank Rijsberman, today launched two key policies to advance the country´s bold ambitions to reduce emissions and have a cleaner energy sector:  the ‘Tonga Energy Road Map 2021-2035 (TERMPLUS)’, and the ‘NDC Implementation Roadmap/Investment Plan’.

To reduce emissions Tonga must address the share of oil products in key sectors (such as energy and transportation).  A key solution is generating more electricity from renewable sources, while oil consumption by the transport sector needs to be significantly reduced, either by using alternative fuels (e.g. biodiesel, ethanol, renewable electricity), and-or by mode switch (e.g. from private vehicle to public bus, bicycle, walking), in tandem with increasing fuel efficiency (e.g. euro IV, V).

Similarly, comprehensive planning across other sectors is needed, so the country can articulate its vision and implement projects to reduce its emissions– not only within the energy sector- and adapt to climate change.

Through the TERMPLUS, Tonga will implement its 15-year roadmap, to achieve ambitious renewable energy targets of 70% and 100% renewable electricity by 2025 and 2035, respectively, through actionable energy strategies. The TERMPLUS policy, supported by GGGI and New Zealand´s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), will guide the development of Tonga’s energy sector, with interventions not only in renewable electricity, but also transportation, energy security, resiliency, gender inclusion and data management.

H.E. New Zealand High Commissioner Matthew Howell remarked that “Aotearoa New Zealand is committed to low-emissions climate-resilient development in the Pacific. This includes supporting Tonga with the TERMPLUS 2021-2022 Development and the TERMPLUS Implementation/Investment Plan that kicks-off today. This next phase provides an investment pipeline of projects and outputs for Tonga to continue delivering on their national development goals.”

Tonga’s NDC Implementation Roadmap and Investment Plan provides a plan for the Tonga government to achieve its Second NDC targets. Developed with support from the Pacific NDC Hub through GGGI, the Implementation and Investment Plan outline a pathway to achieve Tonga’s Second NDC targets through both mitigation and adaptation projects and opportunities identified in the project pipeline. A total of nine mitigation projects have been identified, with five projects in the agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) sector, and four projects in the waste sector.

GGGI Director-General, Frank Rijsberman stated that “GGGI is supporting Tonga to pursue inclusive green growth and build resilience to climate change with a focus on green entrepreneurship, access to climate finance, as well as improving energy security, increasing renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. This includes tackling the transportation sector and reducing this sector’s large dependence on fossil fuels. Furthermore, at GGGI, we believe that green entrepreneurs are uniquely positioned as drivers of innovation, holding the keys to unlocking a transition to a green and sustainable future for our planet. Youth have an essential role to play in this for Tonga and around the world”

Tonga became a member of GGGI in 2018.  GGGI supported Tonga to develop and submit to the UNFCCC its Low Emissions Development Strategy and Second NDC.

About the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)

Based in Seoul, GGGI is an intergovernmental organization that supports developing country governments’ transition to a model of economic growth that is environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. GGGI delivers programs in over ___ partner countries with technical support, capacity building, policy planning & implementation, and by helping to build a pipeline of bankable green investment projects. More on GGGI’s events, projects and publications can be found on www.gggi.org. You can also follow GGGI on Twitter and join us on Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.