Overall Objective
GGGI is working with Tonga to implement its NDC and build climate resilience through the review and update of the Tonga Energy Road Map and the preparation of a Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS). GGGI will further work with the Tongan Government to identify and implement opportunities for inclusive, low carbon and resilient green growth in Tonga in the energy, transport, and green cities sectors.
Strategic Outcome Targets
| GHG Reductions | In Progress |
|---|---|
| Green Jobs | In Progress |
| Sustainable Services | In Progress |
| Enhanced Adaptation to Climate Change | In Progress |
Themes
Contact
Resource Partner
GGGI Core Funding
Government Counterpart
Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Climate Change and Communications
Context
The Kingdom of Tonga is a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) in the Pacific region that is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including cyclones, coral bleaching, and changing rainfall patterns.
Tonga is committed to building greater resilience to the increasing risks of climate change through sustainable development. The Kingdom’s Strategic Development Framework 2015-2025, and 2015 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), express a commitment to mitigate climate change and pursue inclusive and equitable economic growth. With a small export economy, risks to agriculture, including changing rainfall patterns, present a significant threat to Tonga’s economic development. While high cost of imported fossil fuel presents a constraint to energy use for economic growth.
Access to reliable and affordable clean energy is a key part of building Tonga’s resilience to climate change. The Tonga Energy Road Map 2010-2020 (TERM) highlights that, in 2000, 75 percent of Tonga’s energy supply was from imported petroleum fuels. In the power sector, grid supplied energy accounts for 98 percent of electricity, all of which was generated using diesel in 2000. While nearly 90 percent of households are connected to the grid, and in rural areas most households have been electrified using solar home systems and micro-grids, access to affordable electricity is an issue, particular due to Tonga’s reliance on imported fuels and the high upfront capital cost of switching to renewable energy sources.
Under the TERM and NDC, Tonga has committed to 50 percent renewable energy generation by 2020, with landfill gas, biomass, wind, and solar energy considered as sources. It is essential that Tonga moves away from reliance on fossil fuels, diversifies its energy generation options, and develops renewable energy resources. Since 2000, a series of grid-connected solar and wind energy projects have introduced a share of approximately 11 percent renewable electricity in the Tongan grid with plans for further solar, wind and storage technologies to continue to boost the share of renewables and reach the 50 percent renewable energy generation target by 2020. However, there still remains work to be done given Tonga is also looking to increase its ambition and commit to up to 75 percent renewable electricity generation by 2030.
GGGI is supporting Tonga to pursue inclusive green growth and build resilience to climate change with a focus on enhancing infrastructure, improving energy security, increasing renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, including for the transport sector, and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
News
News • September 20, 2023
First Pacific Islands Entrepreneurship Expo kicks off in Fiji
[Suva, Fiji – 30 August 2023] The first ever Pacific Islands Entrepreneurship Expo was held in Fiji on 30th – 31st August 2023, jointly hosted by the Global Green Growth Institute in collaboration with the United Nations Capital Development Fund, United Nations Development Programme, International Labor Organisation, Asian Development Bank and YGAP. The two-day expo at the Grand […]
News • September 20, 2023
Pacific countries on the frontline of climate change get support to unlock climate financing for the future of the region
September 15, 2023 – Vulnerable island nations in the Pacific are in urgent need of resources to respond to the worsening climate crisis. Building on the success of mobilizing US $67 million in climate finance its first year of operation, the Climate Finance Access Network (CFAN) is partnering with the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Global Green […]
News • June 28, 2023
TCCI & GGGI partner to kick-off Tonga Greenpreneurs Incubator 2023
Nuku’alofa Tonga, 27th June 2023 – In celebration of World Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), in collaboration with the Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), successfully launched a two-day Incubator orientation and kick-off workshop that is part of the Pacific Green Entrepreneurs Network (PGEN), a […]
News • May 17, 2023
Regional cooperation a way to address climate resilience of Pacific financial systems.
Suva, Fiji, 17 May 2023 – Climate-related challenges are increasingly recognized in the financial sector globally, and collective approaches are a key solution according to a new regional study. The study was part of discussions during a Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and Agence Français de Développement (AFD) regional meeting this […]
News • November 30, 2022
EIT Climate-KIC partners with Global Green Growth Institute to launch a Blue Economy Accelerator in the Pacific
SUVA, FIJI – 22 November 2022 – Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) signed a partnership agreement today with EIT Climate-KIC, supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland (‘Irish Aid’), to deliver the Blue Economy ClimAccelerator program in the Pacific Islands. The five-month program will run from January to May 2023 and […]
News • October 17, 2022
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 […]
News • August 2, 2022
CFAN Pacific Advisors Gather in Fiji to Advance Pipeline of Regional Climate Projects
July 22, 2022 – The Climate Finance Access Network (CFAN) convened partners, regional stakeholders, and its Pacific advisor cohort in Suva, Fiji to advance a diverse pipeline of regional climate projects. CFAN, an initiative established to unlock access to climate finance through building lasting regional capacity, marked the conclusion of its inaugural training program and […]
News • July 26, 2022
GGGI and UNCDF expand their partnership to support small green businesses in the Pacific
Suva, Fiji – The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) signed an amendment to their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand areas of cooperation on 29th June. The document was signed virtually by Gerard O’Donoghue, on behalf of GGGI Director General and Mr Bram Peters, Regional Manager-Pacific of UNCDF. The […]
News • June 17, 2022
Two Tongan green enterprises win USD5,000 each in seed grants through the Mafoa ‘Ae Ata – Youth Innovation Challenge Pacific Greenpreneurs Incubator program
NUKU’ALOFA, TONGA: Saturday, 11th June 2022 – Tonga Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Inc. (TYEE) in collobration with Partners Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)’s Pacific Green Entrepreneurs Network (PGEN), Breadfruit Consulting and supported by Solutions Consulting House held a Graduation Ceremony for the first Mafoa ‘a e Ata (MAA) – Youth Innovation Challenge Pacific Greenpreneurs Incubator […]
News • April 5, 2022
Six inspirational Pacific Women share their stories during “Women in Green Innovation in the Pacific” virtual ‘Talanoa’
8th March 2022 – Over 100 attendees from across the Pacific joined the virtual “Women in Green Innovation in the Pacific” virtual ‘talanoa’ hosted by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and partners Emstret Space, Greenhouse Co-working, Samoa Business Hub, Tonga Youth Employment & Entrepreneurship and Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce & Industry in a special […]
News • March 4, 2022
Upcoming Virtual Event: Women in Green Innovation in the Pacific
GGGI’s Pacific Green Entrepreneurs Network is excited to share with you our upcoming virtual talanoa session on ‘Women in Green Innovation’ in collaboration with our partners Emstret Space, Greenhouse Coworking, Samoa Business Hub, Tonga Youth Employment & Entrepreneurship and Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry in honour of International Women’s Day on 8th March. The […]
News • February 28, 2022
Climate Finance Advisors begin training to increase access to finance in the Pacific
February 1, 2022 – The Climate Finance Access Network (CFAN), coordinated by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), and in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), has onboarded its first cohort of advisors for the Pacific region. The Climate Finance Advisors, specifically trained and will be embedded and support Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, […]
News • November 15, 2021
Pacific Greenpreneurs Incubator Program Launches in 6 Countries
We are pleased to announce that the Pacific Greenpreneurs Incubator Program 2021 has successfully kicked off in six countries! Sixty-eight green enterprises across six countries make up the 2021 cohort, of whom two-thirds are women-led (68%) and youth-led (62%) and supporting 133 entrepreneurs between them. Early-stage purpose-driven enterprises with social and/or environmental impact were selected […]
News • October 22, 2021
Tonga Validates its draft NDC Implementation Roadmap and NDC Investment Plan
Nuku’alofa, Tonga – As a follow-up to the national consultation workshop in August this year, the Tonga Department of Climate Change with support from the Regional Pacific NDC Hub through its implementing partner the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), hosted a national validation workshop with national experts on 21 October 2021. The aim of this […]
News • October 16, 2021
Tonga Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (TYEE) and GGGI sign MoU on Green Entrepreneurship and Green Growth Cooperation
NUKU’ALOFA, Wednesday, October 13, 2021 – Today marked the unique joint implementation of the Global Green Growth Institute’s (GGGI) Pacific Green Entrepreneurs Network (PGEN) Program with their local partner on the ground, Tonga Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (TYEE). The MoU was signed virtually by Dr. Frank Rijsberman, Director-General of GGGI, and Lusia Latu-Jones, President/Director of […]
News • September 23, 2021
GGGI participates in virtual Commemoration of the UN Day on South-South Cooperation and Intergovernmental Organisations
The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) contributed insights on SMEs and Entrepreneurship for COVID-19 recovery during the Commemoration of the UN Day on South-South Cooperation and Intergovernmental Organisations Virtual Meeting in Asia- Pacific 2021 held on September 14, 2021, hosted by United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC). Keynote addresses were delivered by Mr. António […]
News • August 26, 2021
Tonga takes a step forward into implementing the TERMPlus for a cleaner and more inclusive energy sector.
Tongatapu, Kingdom of Tonga, Tuesday August 24th, 2021. Her Excellency Tiffany Babington (New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga), Chief Executive Officer, Paula Ma`u for Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC), and GGGI´s Country Representative for Tonga, Vanuatu, Fiji and Kiribati, Daniel Muñoz-Smith, launched today their collaboration for the project titled […]
News • July 30, 2021
Launch of the Pacific Green Entrepreneurs Network
Join GGGI Pacific for the Launch of the Pacific Green Entrepreneurs Network Happening on 4th August 2021 at 11am (FJT) Launch Webinar Registration Link Event Program Link What can you expect from the event? Learn details about our incubator and accelerator programs including how to apply, ask any questions about the program and hear about […]
News • June 16, 2021
Tonga commences development of its NDC Implementation Roadmap and NDC Investment Plan
Nuku’alofa, Tonga – On 27 May 2021, the Tonga Department of Climate Change at the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) hosted a national, virtual inception workshop to kick-start work on developing Tonga’s NDC Implementation Roadmap and NDC Investment Plan (with project pipeline). Delivered by the Global Green […]
News • May 4, 2021
Tonga launches the TERM Plus Framework setting 70% and 100% Renewable Goals
Nuku’alofa, Tonga; April 28, 2021– Tonga, with GGGI’s support, opened strong in 2021 with the launch of the Tonga Energy Road Map 2021-2035 (TERM-PLUS) Framework. The Framework is designed to be a living document that will provide the foundation for the TERM-PLUS poised to be completed later this year. This Framework also sets in motion […]