Tonga flag
Tonga

* Excerpts from National Strategic Planning Framework [2010-2014]

Integrate environmental sustainability and climate change into all planning and executing of programs

The Tonga Government takes seriously the responsibility of…

Adaptation Learning Mechanism [climate change adaptation] country profiles
Tonga

Asian Development Bank Country Profiles and Strategies
Tonga

Biosafety Profiles [CBD Biosafety Clearinghouse Mechanism]
Tonga

Birdlife [Avifauna] Profiles 

see also Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World - browsable by country and by individual island within the Pacific region - excellent data source 

see also a checklists of birds of FIJI, AMERICAN SAMOA, NIUE, SAMOA, TOKELAU, TONGA, TUVALU AND WALLIS & FUTUNA compiled by Dick Watling

see also Species profiles [*For the Globally Threatened Birds (those evaluated as Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable), each factsheet contains a summary account, range map and an illustration, plus additional data tables. For Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Near Threatened, Least Concern and Data Deficient species, each contains a concise summary paragraph and some additional data tables.] [Birdlife International]
Tonga

see also Endemic Bird Areas [EBAs] of the Pacific [incl. Tonga (secondary area) ] [Birdlife International]

see also Important bird areas of the Pacific [IBAs] (2010) [Birdlife Pacific]

IBA Profiles: 
Tonga

IBA Reports:
Tonga

* order the complete CD-ROM 'Important bird areas in the Pacific: a compendium' from theSPREP IRC

see also Pacific regional overview [Birdlife International] 
see also Globally Threatened Birds (those evaluated as Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable) of Oceania [Birdlife International]
see also State of the World's birds website and report [Birdlife International] - including Pacific country case studies

Country Climate Profile [UNDP]
* Sourced from the Adaptation Learning Mechanism, a knowledge sharing platform developed by UNDP in partnership with the Global Environment Facility, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the World Bank, and the United Nations Environment Programme.

Pacific Climate Change Portal (PCCP) (NEW)

Earthtrends Thematic Country Profiles [WRI]
Agriculture and food, Biodiversity and protected areas, Climate and atmosphere, Coastal and marine ecosystems, Economics, business and the environment, Energy and resources,Environmental governance and institutions, Forests, grasslands and drylands, Population, health and human well-beingWater resources and freshwater ecosystems.

Ecoregion Profiles [World Wildlife Fund]
Tropical Moist Forests
Tonga

Environment Statistics - Country Snapshots [UN; 2009]
Tonga

Environmental Vulnerability Index - Country Profiles [SOPAC / UNEP]
Tonga

EU Pacific Country Environment Profiles

see EU Country Partnership Profiles [incl. environment and EDF10 strategies]
Tonga

FAO Country Profiles and Mapping Information System
Tonga

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Country Profiles 
Tonga

Fishbase Biodiversity Country Profiles (all fish)
Tonga

Fisheries Resources Profiles
Tonga (1994; 5mb)

Forestry Country Profiles 
Forestry Department Country Profiles [FAO] 
Tonga

see also FAO Forest Resource Assessment : Country Reports [2010]
Tonga (2010; 189kb)

see also FAO Forest Resources Assessments - Data collection for the Pacific region [2000]
Tonga

see also State of the World's Forests 2007: Asia and the Pacific [FAO] (2008; 1.77mb)
see also Tropical and subtropical forest profiles prepared by the World Wildlife Fund

see also Mongabay Rainforest profiles:
Tonga

Global Biodiversity Information Forum [GBIF] Country Profiles 
Tonga

see also GBIF Google Earth Country Links
Tonga

Global Environment Facility (GEF) Country Profiles
Use the drop down menu to go to the individual profiles - includes GEF-4 Allocation and Utilization , Approved Projects and Projects Under Preparation

Integrated Water Resource Management Profiles [SOPAC]
Tonga

Invasive Species : Country Profiles [ISSG]
Tonga

see also PIER reports on invasive species in Pacific islands:
Tonga

Land-based pollutants inventory for the South Pacific region: Part 2: Regional summary and country profiles [SPREP] (1993; 19mb)

Laws and legislation

Pacific islands Environmental Laws [Commonwealth Secretariat]
Tonga

SPREP National Laws and Legislation clearinghouse
Tonga

see also 'Legislative reviews' in Country Reports (below)

Mangrove and Wetlands Profiles [ *from Proceedings of the Pacific Regional Workshop on Mangrove Wetlands Protection and Sustainable Use . SPREP, 2002.]
Tonga (2002; 1.82mb)

see also: A Directory of Wetlands in Oceania [1993]
see also: Wetlands of the Pacific Island Region (2008; 882kb)
see also: IWMI Global Wetlands - Interactive Web Map Server - includes countries of Oceania 

Marine Resource Profiles

see:

State of Coral Reef Systems
Tonga (2002; 1.45mb)

see also:

State of the marine environment in the South Pacific Region (1990; 3.48mb)

see also:

Reefbase Country Profiles (coral reefs, reef fish, biodiversity)
Tonga

see also GIS data for corals in the Pacific from Reefbase - browse by country and reef profile
see also GIS data for marine protected areas in the Pacific from Reefbase - browse by country and ecosystem

see also:

Status of Coral Reef Systems of the World: 2008 (2008; 20mb)

Chapter 13 - Status of Coral Reefs in Polynesia Mana Node Countries: Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Niue, Kiribati, Tonga, Tokelau and Wallis and Futuna (2008; 1.85mb)

MPA Global Profiles (marine protected areas database)
Tonga

see also Millennium Coral Reef Mapping - South Pacific products
IMARS Geomorphological classification is publicly available on the University of South Florida web site from http://www.imars.usf.edu/MC/output_south_pacific.html . Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Tonga, Samoa, New Caledonia, Cook Is, French Polynesia and East Solomon are there (PNG will hopefully be coming shortly). Files are distributed as Shapefiles (ArcGIS) and can be opened in MapInfo.

Mapservers containing country level data on land utilisation, forestry, minerals etc.
Tonga

National Communications Support Programme [Climate] Profiles [UNDP]
Tonga

Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum Country Data:
Tonga

Pacific Regional information System - PRISM [SPC]
Environmental and Climate Statistics 
Tonga 

 

Protected Areas

Pacific Islands Protected Areas Portal (PIPAP) (NEW)

Protected Planet - Search the World Database on Protected Areas
Protected area profiles in Tonga

Reefbase GIS data for marine protected areas in Tonga
see also GIS data for marine protected areas in the Pacific - browse by country and ecosystem

SPC Country Profiles:
Tonga

see also SPC Joint Country Strategies

SPREP Country Profiles: Exchange of Information by Members at SPREP Annual Meetings:
- Exchamge of information by Members on National Developments related to Natural Resource Management Priority of the Action Plan [2007]
see Agenda Item 6.1: Country Profiles of the Report and record of the 18th SPREP Meeting of Officials in Apia, Samoa on 11th to 14th September 2007

- Exchange of information by Members on national developments related to Pollution Prevention priority of the SPREP Action Plan [2008]
see Agenda Item 8.6: Country Profiles of the Report and record of the19th SPREP Annual Meeting of Officials in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia on 8–12 September 2008

- Exchange of Information by Members on National Developments Related to the Climate Change Focus Area of the SPREP Action Plan [2009]
see Agenda Item 11.2: Country Profiles of the Report and record of the 20th SPREP Annual Meeting of Officials in Apia, Samoa on 17 - 20 November 2009

- Exchange of Information by Members on Year of Biodiversity [2010]
see Agenda Item 11.3: Country Profiles of the Report and record of the 21st SPREP Meeting of Officials in Madang, Papua New Guinea on 6-10 September 2010
see also individual profiles for: Wallis and Futuna

Sustainable Development Profiles (UN Agenda 21)
Tonga

Threatened species: Summary of species on the 2008 IUCN Red List
Tonga

UNCCD Country Profiles:
Tonga

UNEP Country Profiles [* poorly maintained and little information available]
Tonga

Water Resource Profiles [SOPAC - Pacific water - http://www.pacificwater.org/]
Tonga

WHO Environmental Health Profiles 
Tonga

World Bank Country Profiles [country summary / statistics]
Tonga / Tonga

World Bank Environment indicators
Tonga

World Factbook Country Profiles [CIA]
Tonga

World Ocean Database 2005 [NOAA]
Geographically sorted data for the Pacific Ocean [datasets]

see also Environmental indicators: South Pacific (UNEP: 2004; 6.23mb)
see also Polynesia / Micronesia Biodiversity Hotspot Ecosystem Profile (2007; 1.16mb)

see also Paciifc Biodiversity Information Forum website and databases

Barbados Programme of Action + 10 (BPoA) 
National Assessment Reports: Tonga (2003; 546kb)

Pacific Environment Outlook (2005; 30.99mb)

The Conference on Small Island Developing States (Barbados Conference, 1994) highlighted the importance of island biodiversity as an ecological corridor linking major areas of biodiversity around the world. The conference called for international co-operation and partnership to support the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in their efforts to conserve, protect and restore their ecosystems. The Barbados Plan of Action recognizes the importance of the coastal zone as a source of subsistence and economic development.

Climate Change Policy
Tonga (2006)

Commission on Sustainable Development : Reports (Agenda 21)
Tonga

Country Strategy Papers and National Indicative Programmes [European Union - EDF10]
Tonga (2008-2013; 1.92mb)

Environment Management Act (NEW)
Tonga (2010)

Legislative Reviews 
Tonga (1992; 10.12mb), Tonga - analysis (2006; 118kb), Tonga - inventory (2006; 283kb),

Montreal Protocol: National Compliance Action Strategies to implement the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
Tonga (2001; 264kb)

National Adaptation Plan of Action - NAPA - [Climate change]
Tonga Joint National Action Plan (JNAP) on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management (CCA & DRM) 2010 - 2015 (2010; 1.2mb)

National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plans (NBSAP)
Tonga (2006; 1.52mb)

NBSAP Stocktake Reports: Tonga (2004; 5.64mb)

see also National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans: Pacific Regional Review (2007; 269kb)

National Biosafety Frameworks
Tonga (2004; 328kb)

National Capacity Self Assessment (NCSA) 
Thematic Assessment Reports:
Biodiversity: Tonga (2007; 843kb)
Climate Change: Tonga (2007?; 918kb), 
Land degradation: Tonga (2007; 1.22mb) ,

Action Plans:
Tonga *draft (2008; 431kb)

NCSA Status (NCSA website)
Tonga

National Environment Management Strategy (NEMS) 
Tonga (1993; 26.6mb)

National Integrated Water Resource Management : Diagnostic Reports - drafts only [SOPAC]
Tonga (2007; 672kb)

National Invasive Species Strategy

Invasives reports: Tonga (2001; 559kb)

see also Invasive alien species in the Austral-Pacific region: national reports and directory of resources [GISP] (2002; 3.75mb)

see also Invasives Species on Pacific Islands [reports] - HEAR / PIER project website

National [Sustainable] Development Plans / Strategies [ForumSec]
Tonga (2006-2009 (2006?:1.44mb) ; Tonga 2010-2014 (2009;129kb)

ADB Reports: Tonga (2004; 224kb)

Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change [PACC] - reports, activities and PACC news updates
Tonga

Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change [PACC] - report of in-country consultations 
Tonga (2009; 135kb)

Pacific Regional Energy Assessment: Country Reports (PIREP) 
Tonga (2004; 1.67mb)

Regional overview report (2004; 2.59mb)

Peristant Organic Pollutants (POPs): Country Plans
Tonga (2003; 399kb)

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (Basel Convention, 1989), the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (Rotterdam Convention, 1998) and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (Stockholm Convention, 2001) together provide an international framework for the environmentally sound management of hazardous chemicals throughout their life cycles.

Sea Level & Climate: their present state: Country reports
Tonga (2006; 2.26mb)

Ships' Waste Management in Pacific Islands Ports: Country reports
Tonga

Solid Waste Characterisation and Management Plans
Tonga (2000; 244kb)

State of the Environment Reports

see State of the Environment of the South Pacific 2005 (2005; 382kb; see also ~http://www.unescap.org/esd/environment/soe/2005/mainpub/ ~)

see also State of the Environment of the South Pacific 1983 (UNEP: 1983; 1.66mb)
see also State of the marine environment in the South Pacific Region (1990; 3.48mb)

see also Regional perspectives: Asia and the Pacific (UNEP, GEO-4. 2007; 382 kb)

see also the archive of SPREP Country Reports between 1980-1983 as follows:
Tonga (1980; 606kb)

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED: Brazil, 1992)
Country Reports : Tonga (1992; 2.83mb)

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED, 1992) and the Rio Declaration highlighted the need for sustainable development-socially responsible economic development that protects the resource base and the environment for the benefit of future generations. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was one of the outcome instruments of the UNCED process, also highlights the need for conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.

United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD)
National Reports: 
Tonga 1 (2006; 1.85mb) , Tonga - thematic report on protected areas (2003; 32kb)

Fourth National Reports: 
Tonga (2010; 4.35mb)

see also Country profiles compiled by the Secretariat for the UNCBD.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was one of the outcome instruments of the UNCED process, highlights the need for conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (Land Degradation) (UNCCD)
Second National Report: Tonga (2002; 116kb)

see also UNCCD Country Profiles:
Tonga

see also UNCCD Reports clearinghouse mechanism

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is an agreement to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
(i) National Communications and In-depth Reviews
Tonga (2005; 4.03mb)

(ii) Second National Communications
Tonga (2010; 1.2mb)

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC,1992) is concerned with global warming and the consequent rise in sea levels that may result in the flooding of coastal areas, and submerging islands, which could adversely affect coastal communities. The treaty aims at reducing emissions of greenhouse gas in order to combat global warming. Although the treaty as originally framed set no mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual nations and contained no enforcement provisions; it did include provisions for updates (called "protocols") that would set mandatory emission limits. The principal update is the Kyoto Protocol.

Joint National Action Plan on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management 2010-2015: TONGA - NEW

World Summit on Sustainable Development [Rio+10 - Johannesburg 2002]
Country profiles: Tonga (2002; 334Kb)

National Assessment Reports: 
Tonga (2002; 974kb)

Pacific WSSD Regional Assessment (2002; 91kb) and Pacific Position Paper (2004; 91kb)
see also: Synthesis Report for Asia and the Pacific (2001; 1.22mb)

The WSSD Plan of Implementation calls for the management of the natural resources base in a sustainable and integrated manner. In this regard, to reverse the current trend in natural resource degradation as soon as possible, it is necessary to implement strategies which should include targets adopted at the national and, where appropriate, regional levels to protect ecosystems and to achieve integrated management of land, water and living resources, while strengthening regional, national and local capacities.

The Johannesburg Declaration and the Plan of Implementation arising from the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD, 2002) reconfirmed the commitment of States to advance and strengthen the interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development-economic development, social development and environmental protection-at the local, national, regional and global levels.