Key Recommendations for Communicating Climate Change in Tonga

The report identifies critical gaps in Tonga's climate communication, including a lack of public awareness data, insufficient Tongan-language materials, and minimal formal engagement between the government and mainstream media. It recommends establishing formal government-media partnerships, developing a Tongan-language handbook for climate terms, conducting a baseline survey on public understanding, and increasing the use of social media and creative content to reach diverse audiences.

• Several systemic challenges hinder climate communication in Tonga, including a lack of data on public awareness, minimal engagement with mainstream media, and a shortage of climate change information available in the Tongan language.
• The Tongan government is encouraged to move beyond ad-hoc project coverage and establish formal agreements with mainstream media to ensure consistent communication of climate messages to the general public.
• To improve reporting accuracy and public understanding, the government should create a handbook that defines and translates key climate change terms into the Tongan language and incorporates traditional narratives.
• There is a critical need for a baseline survey to gather evidence on the Tongan public's actual level of climate change awareness, as current communication strategies are often based on assumptions.
• Communication officers should better utilize social media and creative formats—such as short videos, songs, and artwork—to reach diverse audiences and build momentum leading up to Climate Change Week in September.
• The report suggests that communication officers require more innovative training and extended workshop periods to develop tailored strategies for different sectors, such as agriculture and fisheries, as outlined in the Joint National Action Plan 2 (JNAP 2).

APA

Angilau, S. U., & Petelo, L. (2021). Key Recommendations for Communicating Climate Change in Tonga. NAP Global Network. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/napgn-en-2021-key-recommendations-communicating-climate-change-tonga.pdf

Chicago

Angilau, Sia Uhila, and Laumanu Petelo. Key Recommendations for Communicating Climate Change in Tonga. NAP Global Network, 2021. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/napgn-en-2021-key-recommendations-communicating-climate-change-tonga.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Angilau |first1=Sia Uhila |last2=Petelo |first2=Laumanu |title=Key Recommendations for Communicating Climate Change in Tonga |publisher=NAP Global Network |date=April 2021 |url=https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/napgn-en-2021-key-recommendations-communicating-climate-change-tonga.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{angilau2021key, author = {Angilau, Sia Uhila and Petelo, Laumanu}, title = {{Key Recommendations for Communicating Climate Change in Tonga}}, institution = {NAP Global Network}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/napgn-en-2021-key-recommendations-communicating-climate-change-tonga.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }