KINGDOM OF TONGA - SPREP

Strategic Development Plan 8 2006/07-2008/09
1.2.3 Environmental Conservation
Early in 2001, a new Department of Environment was created out of a
division of the Ministry of Lands, Survey & Natural Resources, in order to
coordinate the role of government in relation to all environmental management
and decision making, monitor and report on the state of the environment,
formulate environmental policy, act as executing agency for numerous
international environmental agreements, and conduct environmental impact
assessments of proposed development projects as specified in the Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) Act 2003. Pursuant to this act, an Environmental
Advisory Committee was established. An Environmental Management Bill,
Ozone Depleting Substances Bill and Regulations, and a Biosafety Bill and
Regulations were submitted to Crown Law Department in 2004. Other legislation
of relevance to environmental management is shown in Appendix Table 1.2.
Projects initiated by the Department of Environment in the period to 2005
included the Climate Change Enabling Activity Project, the International Waters
Project (integrated waste management), the Ozone Depleting Substances Project
(implementation of the Montreal protocol on ozone-depleting substances), the
Biosafety Project, the National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan, the ‘Eua Man
and Biosphere Project, the Persistent Organic Pollutants Project, and the National
Capacity Self Assessment Project.
Additionally, a Waste Management Act was passed in 2005 and a Waste
Management Authority was approved by Cabinet to be responsible for the
operation of the Tapuhia landfill on Tongatapu.
Financial resources available from Government to support the
Department of Environment’s activities have diminished during 2000-2005,
limiting the capacity of the Department to perform its duty effectively. The
2005/06 budget was $2.7 million ― 15% coming from the Government budget
and 85% from donors.
1.2.4 Summary
In sum, reforms during the period 2000-2005 consisted primarily of
putting in place the legislation needed to improve public financial management,
implement public enterprise reform, create a performance-oriented public service
and facilitate private sector development and environmental management.
Formulation and application of legislation was delayed due to the limited
capacity of the legislative processing system and, in some cases, slow preparation
of supporting regulations; and law enforcement was subject to human and
financial resource constraints. This underlined the fact that implementation of
reforms is a long-term process of continuous efforts at improvement.
Looking to the Future, Building on the Past 12