RISE FOR CLIMATE: TONGA #PacificPawa

350 Pacific
Sep 6, 2018 · 3 min read
350 Tonga with the Hon. Losaline Ma’asi

Tonga’s Pacific Climate Warriors have kicked off the Pacific’s Rise For Climate mobilisations with a rousing reception from Minister of Internal Affairs and People’s Representative for Tongatapu Number 5, the Hon. Losaline Ma‘asi, after a Rise For Climate Relay through Tongatapu.

“This was the first time for an event like this to be done in Tonga and she wishes for these activities to continue,” said Hon. Losaline Ma’asi.

For their Rise For Climate Day of Action, the Pacific Climate Warriors Tonga held a relay along the sidewalks of the Taufa‘ahau road, from the Tonga Post Ltd. to the office of the Hon. Minister of Internal Affairs. The relay was a symbol of the “time running out” for the next generation, if the people of today do not work together to reduce climate change.

There were 3 stations on their relay route: the ANZ bank, the Tonga Power Limited and the finish line at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where the Hon. Losaline Ma‘asi waited to judge the event and declare the winner.

350 Tonga Coordinator Siliveseteli Loloa handing the Pacific Pawa Petition to the Hon. Losaline Ma’asi

At each station members of the Pacific Climate Warriors handed over a petition calling for a reduction in the use of fossil fuels and a transition to 100% renewable energy. At the Tonga Power Limited they were met in person by Mr. Setitaia Chen, Acting CEO for Tonga Power Limited. Attached to their petitions were solar lights and an “ahi (sandalwood)” sprout for each office to plant in an attempt to revive one of Tonga’s endangered plant species.

At the end of the relay, the co-ordinator for the Climate Warriors Tonga, Mr. Silivesiteli Loloa, conveyed to Hon. Losaline Ma‘asi the group’s happiness and hope for a stronger working relationship to help build community leadership on Climate Change.

The program was arranged by the Pacific Climate Warriors in partnership with the Tonga National Youth Congress. In the past two months, as part of the launch of Tonga’s Joint National Action Plan on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (JNAP2), the Pacific Climate Warriors joined activities planned by both Government and Non-Government Organisations around Tonga, to push their collective belief that the world must ACT NOW. We must act to address the worldwide threat of Climate Change, which is currently and most severely felt in our Pacific Nations.

350 Tonga Read to Rise for Climate. To Rise for Pacific Pawa

350 Pacific

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350 Pacific is a youth led grassroots movement working with communities to fight climate change from the Pacific Islands.

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