TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. SOCIO ECONOMIC CONTEXT.................................................................................. 1 1.1 Key Characteristics................................................................................................. 1 1.1.1 Recent Economic Activities........................................................................ 1 1.1.2 Issues........................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Key Challenges....................................................................................................... 6 1.2.1 Impacts of Globalisation, in Particular on Finance and Investments for Sustainable Development............................................................................ 6 1.2.2 Impacts of globalisation on trade and exports, in particular as a result of trade liberalisation....................................................................................... 6 1.2.3 Urbanisation................................................................................................ 8 1.2.4 Natural Disasters......................................................................................... 9 1.2.5 Natural resource depletion.......................................................................... 9 1.2.6 National security and crime, including issues pertaining to large EEZs (drugs, pollution, poaching, etc.) ................................................................ 9 1.2.7 Unemployment.......................................................................................... 10 1.2.8 HIV/AIDS, malaria, other vector borne diseases...................................... 10 1.2.9 Water and sanitation in rural and urban areas........................................... 10 2. NATIONAL FRAMEWORKS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT............. 11 2.1 Introduction............................................................................................................. 12 2.1.1 Foundation of Environmental Management in Tonga.............................. 12 2.2 Sustainable Development Policies.......................................................................... 13 2.2.1 National Legislation.................................................................................. 14 2.2.2 Environmental Impact Assessment Act.................................................... 14 2.3 National Institutions and Administrative Capacity................................................. 19 2.3.1 Ministry of Lands, Survey and Natural Resource..................................... 19 2.3.2 The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food ...................................... 20 2.3.3 The Ministry of Fisheries.......................................................................... 21 2.3.4 Tonga Water Board................................................................................... 21 2.3.5 Ministry of Civil Aviation ........................................................................ 21 2.3.6 Education .................................................................................................. 22 2.3.7 National Coordination.............................................................................. 23 2.3.8 The Decision Making Process .................................................................. 24 2.3.9 Interdepartmental Committees.................................................................. 25 i 2.3.10 Non Governmental Mechanisms for Sustainable Development............... 25 2.4 Regional Institutions and Technical Cooperation................................................... 30 2.5 Specific Lessons Learned ....................................................................................... 31 2.5.1 Legislative Constraints.............................................................................. 31 2.5.2 Lack of Provisions for Public Participation.............................................. 33 2.5.3 Institutional Constraints............................................................................ 34 2.5.4 Overlapping and Unclear Management Powers ....................................... 34 2.5.5 Lack of Government Commitment for Sustainable Development ........... 35 2.5.6 Lack of Appropriate Policy Support......................................................... 36 3. PROGRESS MADE & PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BPOA: Sectoral and Cross-Sectoral Areas .......... 38 3.1 SECTORAL AREAS: Progress Made and Problems Encountered....................... 38 3.1.1 Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise......................................................... 38 3.1.2 Natural and Environmental Disasters ....................................................... 41 3.1.3 Management of Wastes............................................................................. 43 3.1.4 Coastal and Marine Resources.................................................................. 44 3.1.5 Freshwater Resources............................................................................... 46 3.1.6 Land Resources......................................................................................... 50 3.1.7 Energy Resources......................................................................................54 3.1.8 Tourism Resources.................................................................................... 63 3.1.9 Biodiversity Resources............................................................................. 69 3.1.10 Transport and Communication................................................................. 73 3.1.11 Science and Technology........................................................................... 81 3.1.12 Human Resource Development ................................................................ 84 3.2 CROSS-SECTORAL AREAS.............................................................................. 97 4. TRADE, INVESTMENT, CAPACITY BUILDING AND COOPERATION AND THE STATUS OF SIDS VULNERABILITY........................................................ 101 4.1 Trade ................................................................................................................... 101 4.2 Investment........................................................................................................... 102 4.3 Capacity Building ............................................................................................... 103 4.4 Cooperation Mechanisms.................................................................................... 104 5. MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDG’s) AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SIDS ............................................................................................ 105 5.1 Poverty Eradication (Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger)............................ 106 5.2 Achieving universal primary education.............................................................. 107 5.3 Promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women ............................ 108 ii 5.4 Reducing child mortality..................................................................................... 108 5.5 Improving maternal and child health .................................................................. 109 5.6 Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases ............................................ 109 5.7 Ensuring environmental sustainability................................................................ 109 5.8 Developing a global partnership for development.............................................. 110 6. EMERGING CONCERNS AND SPECIAL NEEDS ................................................ 113 TABLES Table 1.1 Balance of Payments for 1999/00 to 2002/03 (OET Basis).............................. 3 Table 1.2 Some Selected Economic Indicators................................................................. 5 Table 2.1: Summary Table of Existing Legislation that contain provision for sustainable development, by Sector, Strengths & Weaknesses and Action Needed ........................................................................................................................................... 16 Table 3.1 Number of households by source of water available to household, 1996 ...... 47 Table 3.2 Number of Visitors Arriving in Tonga in the past 5 years ............................. 63 Table 3.3 Human Development Indicators for Tonga .................................................... 86 Table 3.4 Results of the NZ Bursaries Examinations since 1991 for Tonga High School National Form 7 only........................................................................................................ 95 Table 3.5 Results of the NZ Bursaries Examinations: 1999 - 2001................................ 96 Table 5.1 Inequality in Rural Areas in Tonga (1984/85).............................................. 106 Table 5.2 Inequality in Rural Areas in Tonga (1984/85).............................................. 107 Table 5.3: Relations between the MDGs and the SDP7 SRAs, National Vision, and Objectives ....................................................................................................................... 110 FIGURES Figure 2.1: Development Decision Structure with Divisional Committees ..................... 24 Figure 3.1: Tonga’s Education System - The Formal Structure ....................................... 93 Figure 3.2: Results of the PSSC since 1989 .................................................................... 94 Figure 3.3: Percentage Qualified to