AGP Executive Report

Freshwater Watch (Ha’apai): Tonga Geological Services reports higher groundwater salt levels in Foa and central/northern Lifuka, with March 2025 testing using electrical conductivity readings across multiple islands—an early warning for seawater intrusion as climate change strains water supplies. Disaster Preparedness (Storm impacts): Pacific Community oceanographer Dr Moleni Tu’uholoaki’s research is helping strengthen coastal inundation early warning systems, pushing “impact-based” forecasts that translate cyclone track predictions into likely effects on homes, roads, schools and other community assets. Climate Finance (Tonga Climate Change Fund): Tonga has signed project implementation agreements for 32 initiatives under its Climate Change Fund, with locally led work on resilience, sustainable livelihoods, environmental protection and community preparedness. Plastic & Marine Litter (SPREP): Samoa will join Fiji, Tonga and the Marshall Islands in a €6m regional marine litter and single-use plastic reduction effort, funded with support from Germany’s GIZ and implemented with SPREP and the Pacific Community. Community-led Conservation (Friends of Tonga): Friends of Tonga has been named a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards for environmental stewardship, highlighting community partnerships tackling freshwater access, climate resilience and plastic pollution. Energy Reliability (Tongatapu outages): Tonga Power Limited apologised after a major generator failure triggered rotational power outages, with repairs expected to take about two weeks while new generator units are installed.

UN Secretary-General race (Tonga-backed): Tonga has formally nominated Ecuadorian diplomat Ivonne A-Baki as a candidate to succeed António Guterres, bringing the field to eight. She presented her vision to UN member states and is positioning herself as a bridge-builder across regions, with Security Council straw polls and further voting now underway. Coastal disaster preparedness: Tongan oceanographer Dr Moleni Tu’uholoaki’s work is strengthening coastal inundation early warning systems, aiming to move from just cyclone tracks to clearer, household-level impacts for communities facing storm surge and flooding. Tonga climate finance in motion: Tonga’s Climate Change Fund has signed Project Implementation Agreements for 32 climate projects, covering locally led resilience, environmental protection, and community preparedness. Energy reliability pressure: Tonga Power Limited apologised after a generator failure triggered rotational outages on Tongatapu; repairs are expected to take about two weeks as the country pushes its shift toward renewables. Plastic pollution push (regional): Samoa will join Tonga, Fiji and the Marshall Islands in a €6m marine litter and plastic waste project supported by Germany, with SPREP, SPC and GIZ involved. Community environmental recognition: Friends of Tonga has been named a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards for environmental work, highlighting community-led freshwater access and plastic pollution reduction.

Coastal disaster preparedness: Tongan oceanographer Dr Moleni Tu’uholoaki’s research is helping shift cyclone warnings toward “impact-based” alerts, linking storm tracks to what communities actually face—homes, roads, schools, hospitals and other coastal infrastructure—after decades of cyclone records and modelling of storm surge, extreme waves and flooding. Climate finance in action: Tonga’s Climate Change Fund has moved 32 approved projects into implementation after signing Project Implementation Agreements, with locally led work on resilience, sustainable livelihoods, environmental protection and community preparedness. Marine pollution push: Tonga will join Samoa, Fiji and the Marshall Islands in a €6m regional marine litter and plastic waste project led by SPREP with GIZ and the Pacific Community. Community resilience and inclusion: The Kiwa Pacific CIRCLE project is rolling out nature-based climate adaptation across Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga and Kiribati, with women, youth and people with disabilities leading ecosystem restoration and resilient livelihoods. Recognition for local environmental work: Friends of Tonga has been named a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards for environmental stewardship, citing community-led efforts on freshwater access, climate resilience and reducing plastic pollution. Health and environment link: A new travel-related dengue case was reported in Hawaiʻi, with officials urging people to remove standing water—especially after flooding—to cut mosquito breeding risk. Energy reliability gap: Tonga Power Limited apologised for rotational outages after a generator failure, while the country continues its renewable transition with solar, wind and battery storage plans.

Tonga climate finance: Tonga’s Climate Change Fund has signed Project Implementation Agreements for 32 new climate projects, with locally led work on resilience, sustainable livelihoods, environmental protection and community preparedness moving into action. Power reliability: Tonga Power Limited apologised after a major generator failure on Tongatapu triggered rotational outages, while repairs are expected to take about two weeks and new generator units are being installed—an urgent reminder as the country pushes toward more renewable electricity. Marine litter and plastics: Samoa, Fiji, the Marshall Islands and Tonga are set to take part in a €6m Pacific marine litter and plastic waste project funded via Germany’s GIZ, with SPREP and the Pacific Community supporting delivery. Community-led conservation recognition: Friends of Tonga has been named a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards in environmental stewardship, highlighting community partnerships tackling freshwater access, climate resilience and plastic pollution. Inclusive climate adaptation: Fiji’s Kiwa Pacific CIRCLE project launched in Labasa, aiming to restore ecosystems and build resilient livelihoods across Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga and Kiribati with women, youth and people with disabilities leading nature-based solutions. Health and mosquitoes: Hawaiʻi reported another travel-related dengue case on Oʻahu and urged residents to remove standing water—especially after flooding—linking vector control to climate-linked rainfall risks. Pacific sovereignty and communications: A report warns Pacific countries face a sovereignty squeeze as submarine cable infrastructure and online platforms are controlled elsewhere, shaping who can access information.

UN Leadership & Sustainability: Tonga has nominated Ecuadorian diplomat Ivonne A-Baki for UN Secretary-General, highlighting her past work on sustainable development and intercultural dialogue as the race grows to eight candidates. Climate Finance in Action: Tonga’s Climate Change Fund has signed project implementation agreements for 32 approved climate projects, with locally led work spanning resilience, sustainable livelihoods, environmental protection and community preparedness. Power Reliability & Renewables: Tonga Power Limited apologised after a generator failure triggered rotational outages on Tongatapu, exposing reliability gaps even as the country pushes its shift toward 100% renewable electricity. Marine Litter & Plastic Pollution: SPREP says a €6m regional marine litter and plastic waste project will run across Samoa, Fiji, the Marshall Islands and Tonga, supported by Germany’s GIZ. Community-Led Environmental Recognition: Friends of Tonga has been named a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards for environmental stewardship, citing community partnerships tackling freshwater access, climate resilience and plastic pollution. Health & Mosquito Risk: Hawaiʻi reported another travel-related dengue case, with officials urging people to remove standing water—an important reminder for Pacific vector-borne disease prevention.

Tonga’s power reliability hit: Tonga Power Limited apologised to Tongatapu electricity users after a major generator failure triggered rotational outages; repairs are expected to take about two weeks, with two new generator units also being installed, as Tonga pushes its shift away from diesel toward renewables and grid upgrades. Tonga Climate Change Fund ramps up: Thirty-two approved projects have moved into action after Project Implementation Agreements were signed under Tonga’s Climate Change Fund first funding cycle, backing locally led work on resilience, sustainable livelihoods, environmental protection and community preparedness. Marine litter push includes Tonga: Samoa will join Fiji, the Marshall Islands and Tonga in a €6m, 3.5-year regional project to tackle marine litter and improve plastic waste management, supported by Germany’s development agency, with SPREP and the Pacific Community implementing. Inclusive climate adaptation across the region: The Kiwa Pacific CIRCLE project launched in Fiji, putting women, youth and people with disabilities at the centre of nature-based solutions and ecosystem restoration across Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga and Kiribati. Regional fisheries security: Samoa urged stronger fish stock monitoring and EEZ protection at the WCPFC scientific session, highlighting cooperation with Tonga and others to tackle illegal fishing and related trafficking. SPREP governance in focus: Wallis-et-Futuna chairs the Fifth SPREP Executive Board Meeting in Apia, aiming to ensure smaller territories’ environmental challenges are represented. Pacific environment diplomacy: Forum foreign ministers called for stronger, sustainable financing for gender-based violence prevention and linked climate/green finance to more inclusive resilience planning.

Marine Litter & Plastics: Samoa is joining Fiji, Tonga and the Marshall Islands in a €6m SPREP-backed project to cut marine litter and strengthen plastic waste management, funded with support from Germany’s GIZ and implemented with the Pacific Community. Tonga Climate Fund: Tonga has signed Project Implementation Agreements for 32 climate projects under its Climate Change Fund, with locally led work spanning resilience, sustainable livelihoods, environmental protection and community preparedness. Energy Reliability: Tonga Power Limited apologised to Tongatapu after a major generator failure triggered rotational outages; repairs are expected to take about two weeks as the grid transition away from diesel continues. Inclusive Climate Adaptation: Fiji’s Kiwa Pacific CIRCLE launch puts women, youth and people with disabilities at the centre of nature-based solutions across Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga and Kiribati, including mangrove restoration and resilient livelihoods. Regional Fisheries Security: Samoa is pushing stronger fish stock monitoring and EEZ security at WCPFC, including joint operations with Tonga and others to tackle illegal fishing and trafficking. SPREP Governance: Wallis-et-Futuna is chairing the SPREP Executive Board meeting in Apia, reviewing environmental priorities and funding across the Pacific. Tonga in UN Race: Tonga nominated Ecuador’s Ivonne A-Baki for UN secretary-general, highlighting her sustainable development and dialogue work. Climate Finance Push: Pacific foreign ministers backed stronger climate action ahead of COP31, calling for more climate finance, renewable investment and Pacific leadership. Local Conservation Funding Gap: A new focus on why local conservation isn’t small—it’s underfunded—adds urgency to biodiversity and community-led protection efforts. Friends of Tonga Award: Friends of Tonga was named a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards in environmental stewardship for community-led work across Tonga.

Climate resilience funding: Fiji is set to lead an $11.8m Pacific climate resilience project, Kiwa Pacific CIRCLE, rolling out nature-based solutions and ecosystem restoration across Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga and Kiribati, with a strong focus on women, youth and people with disabilities. Marine conservation & fisheries security: Samoa is pushing for stronger fish stock monitoring and EEZ protection at the WCPFC, including regional operations with Tonga and Fiji to tackle illegal fishing and related trafficking. Regional environment governance: SPREP’s 5th Executive Board meeting in Samoa is reviewing Pacific environmental priorities, with the agenda framed around the “triple planetary crises” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Blue Pacific climate diplomacy: Pacific foreign ministers back stronger climate action ahead of COP31, endorsing Pre-COP31 meetings and renewed calls for climate finance and ocean-climate leadership. Community environmental stewardship: Friends of Tonga has been named a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards in environmental stewardship for community-led work on climate resilience, disaster response and reducing plastic pollution. Disaster risk & early warning: Solomon Islands’ minister opened regional geohazard and tsunami warning meetings, highlighting the need for monitoring and preparedness across the Ring of Fire.

SPREP leadership in Samoa: The SPREP Executive Board meeting is underway, with Director General Sefanaia Nawadra stressing the “triple planetary crises” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, and reviewing priorities and funding for Pacific environmental action. Tonga community climate win: Friends of Tonga has been named a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards in environmental stewardship, highlighting locally led work on climate resilience, rainwater cisterns, disaster response and plastic pollution reduction. Ocean and fisheries security: Samoa is pushing stronger fish stock monitoring and EEZ security at the WCPFC scientific session, including regional operations with Tonga and others to tackle illegal fishing and related trafficking. Blue Pacific climate push: Forum foreign ministers backed stronger climate action ahead of COP31, calling for more climate finance, renewable energy investment and Pacific leadership through Pre-COP31 meetings. Geohazards and early warning: Solomon Islands opened regional meetings on seismic networks, geohazards and tsunami warning systems, citing recent Tonga and Vanuatu events as reminders that monitoring and preparedness save lives.

Friends of Tonga Recognition: Friends of Tonga has been named a finalist in the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards (Environmental Stewardship), highlighting community-led work across Tonga including climate resilience, rainwater cisterns, cyclone-resistant education support, and efforts to cut plastic pollution. SPREP Environment Priorities: SPREP’s 5th Executive Board Meeting is underway in Samoa, with the agency stressing the “triple planetary crises” links—climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution—and reaffirming its work on environmental leadership, equity and funding priorities. Regional Climate Push: Pacific Forum foreign ministers backed stronger climate action ahead of COP31, calling for more climate finance, renewable energy investment, and Pacific leadership through Pre-COP31 meetings. Gender & Climate Finance: Ministers also urged sustainable financing for gender-based violence prevention, including using climate and green finance to strengthen resilience and gender-responsive planning. Tonga Drug Response: King Tupou VI called for an urgent, integrated national response to illicit drugs, including education, rehabilitation facilities and stronger border control. Marine Protection & EEZ Security: Samoa is pushing for stronger fish stock monitoring and EEZ security at WCPFC, coordinating operations with Tonga and others to tackle illegal fishing and related trafficking. Geohazards & Early Warning: Solomon Islands’ minister opened regional geohazard and tsunami warning meetings, citing recent Tonga and Vanuatu events as reminders that monitoring and preparedness save lives. Deep-Sea Mining Rules: The UN’s International Seabed Authority extended a controversial deep-sea mining exploration contract for TMC, while again failing to finalise commercial mining rules. UN Youth & AI: A UN summit in New York brought together 600 young people to shape AI policy for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Cultural tourism push: Tonga’s cultural heritage is getting a boost as UNESCO notes Tonga’s ratification of the 2005 Convention on protecting and promoting diverse cultural expressions, linking culture with sustainable development and creative industries. Community environment wins global spotlight: Friends of Tonga has been named a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards in environmental stewardship, highlighting locally led climate resilience, rainwater cisterns, cyclone-resistant education support, and work to cut plastic pollution. Ocean and fisheries security: Samoa is urging stronger fish stock monitoring and EEZ protection at the WCPFC scientific session, coordinating operations with Tonga and others to tackle illegal fishing and trafficking while also working on EEZ boundary issues. Regional environment governance: SPREP’s Executive Board meeting in Samoa is underway, with SPREP stressing the “triple planetary crises” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution as core priorities. Drug-free Tonga response: King Tupou VI called for an urgent, integrated national response to illicit drugs, including education, rehabilitation facilities, and stronger border control and cooperation. Geohazards and early warning: Solomon Islands’ minister opened regional meetings on seismic networks, geohazards and tsunami warning systems, underscoring that monitoring and preparedness save lives across the Ring of Fire. Climate finance momentum: Pacific Forum foreign ministers backed stronger, sustainable financing for climate action ahead of COP31, including renewable energy investment and Pacific leadership at pre-COP31 meetings.

Community Climate Action: Friends of Tonga has been named a finalist in the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards for environmental stewardship, highlighting locally led work across Tonga on climate resilience, rainwater cisterns, disaster response, and efforts to cut plastic pollution. Regional Environment Governance: SPREP’s fifth Executive Board meeting in Samoa is focused on the “triple planetary crises” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, with member states reviewing priorities and funding for Pacific environmental leadership. Marine Protection & Fisheries Security: Samoa is pushing stronger fish stock monitoring and EEZ security at the WCPFC scientific session, including regional operations with Tonga and others to tackle illegal fishing and related trafficking. Blue Pacific Climate Diplomacy: Pacific foreign ministers backed stronger climate action ahead of COP31, calling for more climate finance, renewable energy investment, and Pacific-led momentum through Pre-COP31 meetings. Disaster Risk & Early Warning: Solomon Islands’ minister opened regional geohazard and tsunami warning meetings, stressing that better monitoring and preparedness across the Ring of Fire saves lives. Tonga Drug Policy: King Tupou VI called for an urgent, integrated national response to illicit drugs, including rehabilitation capacity and stronger border cooperation.

Environmental Stewardship Recognition: Friends of Tonga has been named a finalist for the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards in the environmental stewardship category, selected from 4,242 submissions across 145 countries for its community-led work with local partners on climate resilience, disaster response, and cutting plastic pollution. Regional Environment Governance: SPREP’s fifth Executive Board Meeting is underway in Samoa, with leaders stressing the “triple planetary crises” linkages—climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—and reviewing priorities, funding, and partnerships. Marine Conservation & Fisheries Security: Samoa is pushing stronger fish stock monitoring and EEZ protection at the WCPFC scientific session, including joint operations with Tonga and others to tackle illegal fishing and related trafficking. Blue Pacific Climate & Gender: Pacific ministers are calling for stronger, sustainable financing for gender-based violence prevention, including using climate and green finance to support resilience and safer communities. Tonga Drug Response: King Tupou VI says Tonga needs an urgent, integrated national response to illicit drugs, including better rehabilitation capacity and border cooperation.

SPREP & Blue Pacific environment priorities: SPREP’s 5th Executive Board meeting in Samoa put the spotlight on the “triple planetary crises” — climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution — and how the agency is working with Pacific members to tackle disaster risks. Regional ocean & climate cooperation: Tonga’s PM Matthew Wale met an SPC delegation led by Dr Paula Vivili, with talks covering ocean management, maritime boundaries, fisheries, climate change, renewable energy and natural resources. Tonga’s community conservation gets global nod: Friends of Tonga was named a finalist for the .ORG Impact Awards (Environmental Stewardship), highlighting work on climate resilience, rainwater cisterns, cyclone-resistant education and plastic pollution reduction. Drug response push in Tonga: King Tupou VI called for an urgent, integrated national response to illicit drugs, including better rehabilitation facilities and stronger border control and cooperation. Fisheries monitoring & EEZ security: Samoa urged stronger fish stock monitoring and protection of its EEZ, including joint operations with Tonga and others to tackle illegal fishing and related trafficking. Climate action financing: Pacific foreign ministers backed stronger, sustainable climate financing ahead of COP31, including renewable energy investment and Pacific leadership. Geohazards & early warning: Solomon Islands’ minister opened regional geohazard and tsunami preparedness meetings, citing recent Tonga and Vanuatu events as reminders that monitoring and cooperation save lives. Deep-sea mining rules stalled: The UN’s International Seabed Authority extended a disputed deep-sea mining exploration contract while still failing to finalise commercial mining rules.

Earthquakes and disaster risk: A global roundup says 2026 isn’t unusually quake-heavy, but the damage is stark—highlighting back-to-back strong quakes in Venezuela and the year’s strongest quake off Mindanao in the Philippines. SPREP governance and priorities: SPREP’s 5th Executive Board Meeting in Samoa is focused on the “triple planetary crises” of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, with Wallis-et-Futuna chairing the board for the first time. Tonga and the Blue Pacific: Forum foreign ministers backed stronger climate action ahead of COP31, while Pacific leaders also pushed for women and girls at the centre of climate resilience and gender-based violence prevention, including through climate and green finance. Marine protection and security: Samoa urged stronger fish stock monitoring and EEZ security at the WCPFC, including joint operations with Tonga and others against illegal fishing and trafficking. Tonga community environment work: Friends of Tonga was named a finalist for the .ORG Impact Awards in Environmental Stewardship for climate resilience, rainwater projects and plastic pollution work. Early warning and preparedness: Regional geohazard and tsunami warning meetings in the Pacific spotlight investment in monitoring and preparedness to save lives.

SPREP Executive Board in Samoa: Wallis-et-Futuna chairs the Fifth SPREP Executive Board Meeting, with members reviewing priorities and funding to tackle the “triple planetary crises” hitting Pacific communities: climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and disaster risks. Regional conservation push: A new call highlights that local conservation across the Pacific isn’t small work—it’s underfunded, even though it’s where results and community knowledge sit. Marine protection and security: Samoa urges stronger fish stock monitoring and better protection of its EEZ at the WCPFC, linking sustainable tuna management with regional cooperation against illegal fishing, illegal drugs and trafficking. Gender and climate resilience: Pacific ministers at CSW66 stress that women and girls must be central to climate action and resilience, including through gender-responsive budgeting and climate finance. Tonga spotlight: Friends of Tonga is named a finalist for the .ORG Impact Awards in Environmental Stewardship, citing community-led climate resilience, rainwater cisterns, cyclone-resistant education support, and plastic pollution work. Geohazards and early warning: Solomon Islands opens regional meetings on seismic monitoring and tsunami warning systems, stressing that preparedness and cooperation save lives across the Ring of Fire. Deep-sea mining rules delayed: The UN regulator ISA extends a disputed deep-sea mining exploration contract while still failing to finalise commercial mining rules. Tonga heritage under construction: Lapita pottery fragments are reported at Tonga’s new Parliament site, discovered during works to replace the complex destroyed by Cyclone Gita in 2018.