Tonga's new national climate change policy has been welcomed by the Pacific Community and the European Union.
The SPC said the five-year policy aimed at achieving specific environmental, social and economic targets, and at increasing Tonga's resilience to the impacts of climate change by 2035.
Over the past year Tonga's Department of Climate Change has been shaping the policy with technical assistance through the Global Climate Change Alliance: Pacific Small Island States initiative, supported by the EU and implemented by SPC.
The deputy prime minister and climate change minister, Siaosi Sovaleni, said it was not the Tongan way to present themselves as victims, with people usually smiling through adversity.
He said the revised Climate Change Policy didn't dwell on vulnerabilities but focused on building a resilience.
The SPC said the policy required a 'whole of Tonga' level of co-operation and co-ordination.
Tonga Photo: RNZI / Gareth Thomas
