Tonga Advances Biodiversity Finance through High-Level BIOFIN Engagement

Nukuʻalofa, Tonga — The Prince Regent, His Royal Highness The Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala received in audience Dr. Mohseen Riaz-Ud-Dean (UNDP Global Biodiversity Finance (BIOFIN) Environmental Finance Specialist for the Pacific Region) highlighting a significant step forward in advancing sustainable financing for biodiversity conservation in Tonga.

Discussions focused on the progress and strategic direction of the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) in Tonga, highlighting its role in identifying, mobilizing, and aligning financial resources to meet national biodiversity priorities. Additionally, it reflected the shared vision to protect Tonga’s natural heritage through integrated policy, finance, and planning frameworks with a focus on ensuring that marine ecosystems continue to thrive for generations to come.

As chairman of the Vava’u Development Committee, His Royal Highness emphasized the importance of ensuring that financial strategies support sustainable tourism, ecosystem protection, and community stewardship and climate resilience. A key example of this is the integration of BIOFIN outcomes with the Vavaʻu Master Plan, one of Tonga’s most ecologically and economically significant regions.

Recently, BIOFIN further strengthened collaborations with Tonga through the Tonga Ridge to Reef (R2R) Project, which was launched by His Royal Highness in Vavaʻu as a flagship initiative promoting integrated, ridge-to-reef ecosystem management and community stewardship. By fostering synergies between these initiatives, stakeholders aim to enhance coordinated planning, optimize resource allocation, and deliver greater impact across terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

Dr. Mohseen Riaz-Ud-Dean also, emphasized “Aligning BIOFIN with the Ridge to Reef Project enables Tonga to move from financing strategies to on-the-ground implementation. This integrated approach enhances efficiency, strengthens coordination, and positions Tonga as a model for delivering biodiversity finance solutions that generate measurable environmental and community outcomes”.

Looking ahead, Tonga is preparing to launch the four core BIOFIN analytical outputs in 2027: the Policy and Institutional Review (PIR), Biodiversity Expenditure Review (BER), Financial Needs Assessment (FNA), and the Biodiversity Finance Plan (BFP). These products will provide an integrated evidence base to guide decision-making, strengthen policy coherence, and unlock sustainable financing solutions for biodiversity conservation.