This vulnerability assessment provides evidence for the Government of Tonga and the people of Lifuka Island to make informed decisions about adapting to coastal erosion and sea-level rise. This project also aimed to be a blueprint for other low-lying nations considering adaptation options.
This report synthesizes the emerging evidence of climate impacts at different temperature thresholds for Pacific islands. All evidence points to vast differences in impacts in a 1.5˚C world, compared to the +3˚C world to which our current policies and climate change pledges are leading us. For Pacific islands and marine and coastal ecosystems in the region, these differences cannot be overstated; even a 0.5˚C difference (between 1.5˚C and 2˚C) may mean that critical tipping points are crossed.