Tonga Advances Coastal Resilience Efforts as New GCF-Funded Project Moves Into Implementation

December 3, 2025

Participants at the project board meeting. 1st Row (L-R): Mr Yusuke Taishi (UNDP Head of Climate Change Adaptation), Mr Sione ‘Akau’ola (MEIDECC CEO), Mr Abduvakkos Abdurahmanov (UNDP Pacific Deputy Resident Representative), Ms Luisa Tu’i’afitu Malolo (Director of Climate Change), Ms Afuafu Kautoke (TCRP National Project Manager). 2nd Row (L-R): Mr ‘Epeli Langi (Nukuleka Town Officer), Mr Manase Foukimoana (Director of Local Government), Mr Hervé Damlamian (SPC Team Leader Oceanography), Mr Moleni Tu’uholoaki (SPC Ocean Science Officer), Mr Sione Tokai (Ministry of Finance - Principal Economist), Ms Merewalesi Laveti (UNDP – M&E, Country Coordination Analyst), Dr Arthur Webb (TCRP - Coastal Expert), Ms Andrea Martinez (UNDP – Social and Environmental Safeguards Specialist), Mr Tevita ‘Ilolahia (Ministry of Finance), Peni Lavakei’aho (Ministry of Finance – Acting Director).

UNDP

Nuku‘alofa, Tonga - Last week marked a major milestone for the Tonga Coastal Resilience Project (TCRP) as it convened its first governance meetings—bringing together national leaders, technical experts, and community representatives to chart a transformative path for climate resilience.

On 26 November 2025, a multi-stakeholder consultation set the stage for collaboration, followed by the inaugural Project Board Meeting on 28 November 2025, signaling strong national ownership and commitment.

Funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) with a financing package of USD 23.9 million, including co-financing from the Government of Tonga, TCRP is implemented by UN Development Programme in partnership with the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC). The seven-year initiative (2024–2031) aims to protect vulnerable coastal communities, strengthen climate risk information systems, and build long-term adaptive capacity across Tonga.

Driving Coordination and National Leadership

The consultation was hosted under the Joint National Action Plan (JNAP) Task Force, chaired by Ms. Luisa Tu‘i‘afitu Malolo, Director of Climate Change. This platform ensures climate-risk informed planning and dialogue under Output 1 of the project. The Project Board, co-chaired by Mr. Sione ‘Akau‘ola, CEO of MEIDECC, and Mr. Abduvakkos Abdurahmanov, UNDP Pacific Deputy Resident Representative—provides strategic oversight and alignment with national priorities.

Participants included key ministries, civil society, youth representatives, and technical agencies, reinforcing a whole-of-society approach to resilience.

Turning Data into Action: LiDAR and Coastal Protection

A highlight was the technical briefing on LiDAR re-survey work, led by Mr. Hervé Damlamian from the Pacific Community (SPC). This cutting-edge survey will update Tonga’s outdated elevation data and expand coverage to low-lying islands, enabling high-resolution coastal risk mapping and evidence-based adaptation planning—critical for safeguarding communities against rising seas.

Coastal expert Dr. Arthur Webb also shared designs for engineered rock revetments and overtopping protection structures in Hahake, which will shield 3,258 people from erosion and flooding. These interventions under Output 3 represent tangible, life-saving infrastructure for communities already facing climate threats.

Conference room meeting; presenter at front as participants view landscape slides on screens.

Five people sit on red chairs in a meeting room; laptops on glass table, posters on wall.

Accelerating Implementation

The meetings culminated with the endorsement of the 2026 Annual Work Plan, unlocking progress across three key outputs:

•    Strengthened national dialogue and climate-risk informed planning
•    Enhanced technical capacity for climate risk monitoring and data management
•    Construction of coastal protection measures and knowledge sharing

Implementation will be led by the Project Management Unit at the Department of Climate Change, under the leadership of Ms. Afuafu Kautoke and Ms. Vea ‘Afa.

For Tonga, where climate change is not a distant threat but a daily reality, TCRP is more than a project—it is a lifeline. By combining science, infrastructure, and inclusive governance, the project will help communities better withstand climate-related hazards and protect livelihoods for future generations.

The Tonga Coastal Resilience Project directly advances the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

•    SDG 13: Climate Action – Strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.
•    SDG 14: Life Below Water – Protecting coastal ecosystems and reducing marine degradation.
•    SDG 15: Life on Land – Safeguarding terrestrial ecosystems through integrated coastal planning.
•    SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Enhancing resilience of vulnerable coastal settlements.
•    SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – Promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration for sustainable development.

The Tonga Coastal Resilience Project reflects the Government of Tonga and UNDP’s shared commitment to safeguarding communities from climate risks and investing in long-term resilience.

For information please contact:

Afuafu Kautoke, TCRP Project Manager, UNDP Pacific Office, afuafu.kautoke@undp.org or Risiate Biudole, Communications Analyst, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, risiate.biudole@undp.org.