Tonga’s Second Nationally Determined Contribution 2020.

he Tonga's Second Nationally Determined Contribution aligns with the national strategies, plans and sectoral policies and adds new commitments on the first NDC submitted in 2015. The timeframe of this policy is 10 years between January 2021 to December 2030. This NDC lays down actions to both increase the country’s resilience to climate change and to mitigate emissions, in order to protect the people of Tonga, its society, livelihoods, and its natural environment.
This NDC sets out the mitigation targets that will be undertaken to achieve the emission reduction targets in the agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU), energy and waste management sectors. GHG emissions in the energy sector will be reduced through a transition to 70% renewable electricity as well as energy efficiency measures. Technology transfer, capacity building and external financial support will be required to build, operate, and maintain the necessary infrastructure. Electricity will be generated from renewable sources by 2030 through combination of solar, wind and battery storage. Mandatory vehicle standards and/or incentives for purchasing more efficient vehicles will be applied, through taxes, fees, and import tariffs. Minimum energy performance standards for appliances, lighting, and electrical equipment will be adopted for the period 2021-2030. A forest inventory will be established to improve clarity and transparency for the agriculture, forestry and land use sector and to provide a basis for the calculation of GHG emissions and carbon sequestration from forests and other woody biomass. Technical expertise and financial support will be provided for planting one million trees which will lead to emission reduction. Formal waste collection system, including the collection of relevant data on waste amounts and waste composition, will be expanded. The technical capacity within the Waste Authority and its administration will be strengthened to collect the relevant data in order to determine GHG emissions from waste and identify a quantifiable target for reducing GHG emissions.
Climate adaptation targets in this NCD to cope with increasing temperatures and rising sea levels, are as follows: (I) 30% of land in Tonga will be utilized for agro-forestry or forestry by 2025, (II) prevention of any permanent loss of land to rising sea levels on Tonga’s four main islands, and (III) maintenance of the existing stocks of fish and other marine species. One million trees will be planted in 30% of land in Tonga to be used for agro-forestry or forestry. Technical expertise will be provided to decide on the kind of trees to be planted, the land on which the trees are to be planted, and responsibility for planting the trees. Any permanent land loss to rising sea levels will be prevented through resilient coastal development, infrastructures, and integrated coastal ecosystems management. The area covered by the Marine Protected Areas and Special Management Areas will be expanded to 30% of Tonga’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to maintain existing stocks of fish and other marine species.