The radar is expected to provide Tongan officials the ability to give earlier warnings of severe weather events such as cyclones. Photo / NZME
The radar is expected to provide Tongan officials the ability to give earlier warnings of severe weather events such as cyclones. Photo / NZME
A weather radar funded by New Zealand that will provide critical warnings of severe weather events in Tonga is being launched.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres were among those to open the radar facility today at Fua’amotu Airport.
“We’re delighted to be here for the commissioning of this valuable new installation following the announcement of funding for this work when we visited in February,” Peters said.
“The radar is the first of its kind in the Pacific and will provide Tonga with the ability to give communities critical early warnings and mitigate the impacts of high-risk weather.”
Foreign Minister Winston Peters at the Pacific Islands Forum opening ceremony in Tonga. Photo / John Tulloch
Tonga, like its small island neighbours, was particularly vulnerable to severe weather events, namely tropical cyclones. The damage from the 2022 volcanic eruption remained stark in some areas of the main island.
The project was done in conjunction with the Tonga Meteorological Service and New Zealand’s MetService, which assisted with construction of the radar and training.
Peters described the radar as the “first of its kind” in the Pacific, giving Tongan officials the ability to provide communities with early warnings of severe weather events.
This morning Peters took part in the Pacific Islands Forum opening ceremony, during which Guterres made strong criticisms of polluting countries, saying “humanity is treating the sea like a sewer”.
He made mention of governments “signing away our future” by signing new oil and gas licences.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses Pacific leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga. Photo / Adam Pearse
New Zealand’s coalition Government had come under intense pressure from environmental and climate change advocacy groups over its decision to reverse the oil and gas exploration ban implemented in 2018.
Despite his opposition to the practice, Gutteres didn’t raise the Government’s policy when he met with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in New Zealand last week, but believed any new oil and gas found would not be used given their emissions and the development of new technologies.
Peters also held a breakfast bilateral meeting with the head of government of Tokelau, which is a New Zealand colony.
Peters was expected to hold a media stand-up this afternoon.
Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.
