The Kingdom of Tonga Developed its LT-LEDS Through a Consensus-Based Stakeholder Engagement Process

This case study describes the process used by the Government of Tonga to develop its long-term low-emission development strategy (LT-LEDS), highlighting a consensus-based stakeholder engagement model that integrated technical analysis with qualitative participatory workshops.

• The Government of Tonga developed its long-term strategy using a stakeholder engagement plan centered on dialogue and consensus, supported by Relative Creative, Climateworks, and the Global Green Growth Institute. The process involved a cross-sectoral group from government, industry, and civil society participating in workshops to define future visions, identify necessary actions, and establish sector pathways.
• Due to a lack of reliable emissions data, the strategy development relied on a qualitative approach. This involved a 'divergent thinking' phase to create open-ended visions and a 'convergent process' to refine them strategically. To ensure local relevance, dialogues were primarily conducted in Tongan and utilized culturally relevant metaphors.
• The resulting strategy aligns sectoral pathways and policy actions with sustainable development goals, gender equality goals, and near-term Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) commitments. The Tongan government now views this participatory process as the 'gold standard' for other policy development.

APA

World Resources Institute (2024). The Kingdom of Tonga Developed its LT-LEDS Through a Consensus-Based Stakeholder Engagement Process. https://www.wri.org/update/tonga-net-zero-stakeholder-engagement-lt-leds

Chicago

World Resources Institute. The Kingdom of Tonga Developed its LT-LEDS Through a Consensus-Based Stakeholder Engagement Process. 2024. https://www.wri.org/update/tonga-net-zero-stakeholder-engagement-lt-leds.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=The Kingdom of Tonga Developed its LT-LEDS Through a Consensus-Based Stakeholder Engagement Process |date=22 August 2024 |url=https://www.wri.org/update/tonga-net-zero-stakeholder-engagement-lt-leds |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2024kingdom, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{The Kingdom of Tonga Developed its LT-LEDS Through a Consensus-Based Stakeholder Engagement Process}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2024}, month = aug, url = {https://www.wri.org/update/tonga-net-zero-stakeholder-engagement-lt-leds}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }