Climate
Resilience
Sector
Project,
Tonga
Challenge
The Government of Tonga obtained a Grant from the Asian Development Bank to implement the project. Known as the Climate Resilience Sector Project (CRSP), the program was prepared with the aim to mainstream climate resilience into government planning, with a focus on protecting the most vulnerable sectors and communities.
SMEC managed and coordinated project implementation to support the Tonga Joint National Action Plans (JNAP) on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management. Key agencies involved, included the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Fisherie, The Natural Resource Division (NRD), Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) and the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources.
Solution
The scope included design and construction packages and associated program controls such as construction monitoring to ensure quality assurance and timeliness of all activities. SMEC also supported the JNAP and Secretariat with capacity building across the Program Management Unit to instil stronger capability in Climate Change Adaption & Disaster Risk Management.
Other key elements of the scope included:
- Ensuring that the Community Plan process was streamlined and provided a pipeline for vulnerable communities to obtain funding
- Building capacity across government agencies through on-the-job training
- Managing safeguard activities in line with the project’s Environmental Assessment and Review Framework and Resettlement Framework
- Reviewing planning laws relevant to the project and providing recommendations to integrate new policies into existing statutory laws
- Coordinating and monitoring community vulnerability assessments and action plans
- Supporting MEIDECC in implementing mangrove assessment and rehabilitation projects
- Supporting the NRD to improve Hydrological monitoring; Water resource inventorying; planning for Integrated Water Resource Management and Integrated Coastal Monitoring.
Impact:
- Climate resilience policy and planning has been embedded into the development planning of key vulnerable sectors
- Government aggencies have improved their capacity and ability to monitor climate data and manage risks accordingly
- SMEC has helped to establish a sustainable financing mechanism to support investment in community-based adaptations, responding to climate change.
- Increased eco-system resilience
Ready
to
connect?
Talk to one of our specialists about our role on the Climate Resilience Sector Project.