Tonga commits to achieve ambitious target: ‘Planting one million trees by 2023’
27 September, 2022. The Department of Climate Change is committed to achieve one of Tonga’s Second Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) targets in ‘Planting one million trees by 2023’.
Lord Tu’ivakanō marked Tongatapu’s tree planting activity after commissioning Hihifo District Nursery on September 22 at Nukunuku.
Tonga’s Second NDC was submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2020 with the aim to establish a forest inventory as prerequisite to identify a greenhouse gas emission objective for the Third NDC in 2025.
The activity will contribute to the reduction of the greenhouse gases in Tonga and build resilience to coastal inundation and erosion, promote food security, good health and sustain livelihoods.
The department will distribute the seedlings donated by the New Zealand High Commission – Tonga to schools and communities to plant in order to achieve the ambitious target by 2023.
Similar activities were also conducted in the outer islands of ‘Eua, Vava’u and Ha’apai with the support from relevant stakeholders.
The department acknowledges the kind assistance from the New Zealand High Commission – Tonga, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests (MAFF), Department of Environment, NGOs and other key partners for implementing and monitoring the activity to meet the target.
- MEIDECC
