10th March 2017 The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for MEIDECC, Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni opened the National Appraisal Workshop on Tonga Coastal Adaptation Project Proposal at Fa’onelua Convention Centre yesterday morning.
In his keynote address, Hon. Sovaleni said the workshop marks another milestone in Tonga’s effort to adapt to the harsh effects of climate change.
“Today marks another milestone in Tonga’s efforts to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. This workshop serves to appraise a multimillion-dollar project proposal that aimed to seek funds from the Green Climate Fund, to help the vulnerable communities to better manage their natural environment through coastal protection measures, sedimentation management, environment based adaptation coastal management and capacity building,” he said.
Hon Sovaleni said previous studies have identified highly vulnerable communities in Tonga where the project’s proposal is based on due to coastal erosion, flooding, inundation and coastal water.
Hon Sovaleni stated that Tonga is at the frontline to experience further devastating impacts of climate change but the country seek to reduce the risks and to build capacity and resilience.
“The project proposal if successful will yield resources towards addressing the aforementioned vulnerabilities at the same time help build the community’s resilience to climate change impacts and climate related events.”
“It is our duty to look for solutions and find a way we can use to minimize the effects of climate change in the communities that vulnerable.”
The workshop was conducted by Officials from UNDP Mr. Yusuke Taishi and Mr. Kevin Petrini.
Also present at the workshop were District and Town Officers, NGOs, Civil Society and Communities Representatives.
The half-a-day workshop was facilitated and co-hosted by the UNDP and the Department of Climate Change under MEIDECC.
ENDS
Issued by the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communication