30 July 2025, Nuku’alofa, Tonga – Tonga is increasingly facing the devastating impacts of climate change. As a nation highly dependent on natural resources and with limited adaptive capacity, Tonga represents the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable low-lying Pacific countries. Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, Tonga bears a significant burden in addressing the loss and damage associated with climate change impacts.
In a national response to the mounting impacts, government representatives, non-government organisations (NGOs) civil society organisations (CSOs), statutory board and private sectors are gathering in Nuku’alofa, from 29-31 July for the Tonga National Loss and Damage Dialogue. The dialogue will focus on knowledge-sharing and enhancing understanding and responses in addressing loss and damage, and providing a platform for stakeholders to collaborate and develop Loss and Damage priorities for Tonga
Guest of Honour, Hon. Dr. Taniela Liku’ohihifo Fusimalohi, Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga and Minister of Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communication (MEIDECC) welcomed participants and set the scene with a call to action on keeping the Loss and Damage dialogue alive.
“Assessing loss and damage or asking someone else to take responsibility for it is never easy. That is why this issue continues to be so important for the Pacific, and why the dialogue around loss and damage must remain active."
"It is vital that the dialogue acknowledges the reality that some things that are lost can be found again, but for others are lost forever.”
The Honourable Deputy Prime Minister made reference to an example in Tonga, where islands lost to sea-level rise raises the issues of loss of land and culture, and climate mobility and he highlighted that these losses must be thoroughly considered when developing priorities during the dialogue.
The Tonga National Dialogue on Loss and Damage is coordinated in partnership between MEIDECC and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme(SPREP) with funding support from the Government of New Zealand through the Loss and Damage Capacity and Capability (LDCC) Project.
“New Zealand is proud to support this partnership between Tonga and SPREP as together you work to raise awareness of climate related loss and damage and establish clear measures to tackle the rising impacts of climate change in Tonga”, said New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga, H.E. Matthew Howell.
“Evidence tells us that women, children, people living with disability, and other vulnerable groups are affected by, and respond to, climate change in different ways.”
“It is great to see that this dialogue provides space to share different groups needs and experiences when assessing loss and damage, and planning developing response measures”.
The three days of dialogue will comprise of presentations, panel sessions and talanoa discussions on a range of topics including understanding L&D, GEDSI experiences of L&D, the role of Non-Governmental Organisations and Civil Society Organisations, measuring and assessing L&D and international financial mechanisms.
Reverend 'Ikani Tolu, Secretary General of Tongan National Council of Churches offered devotion for the meeting and expressed support from the faith-based community.
“We stand with the vulnerable to support Loss and Damage claims, including Non-Economic Loss and Damage, and press for timely, adequate finance from historical emitters.”
The dialogue is the first session with further consultations delivered by MEIDECC at the community level including vulnerable and high-risk communities in the outer islands.
The Tonga National Loss and Damage Dialogue is held from 29-31 July 2025 in Nuku’alofa. It is facilitated in partnership between the Loss and Damage (L&D) Capacity and Capability Project led by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC).
For more information, please contact Ms Filomena Nelson, [email protected] or Maikolo Fonua, [email protected]