Abstract
UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 challenges small island developing states such as the Kingdom of Tonga, which relies on variable rainwater and fragile groundwater lenses for freshwater supply. Meeting water needs in dispersed small islands under changeable climate and frequent extreme events is difficult. Improved governance is central to better water management. Integrated national sustainable development plans have been promulgated as a necessary improvement, but their relevance to island countries has been questioned. Tonga’s national planning instrument is the Tonga Strategic Development Framework, 2015–2025 (TSDFII). Local Community Development Plans (CDPs), developed by rural villages throughout Tonga’s five Island Divisions, are also available. Analyses are presented of island water sources from available census and limited hydrological data, and of the water supply priorities in TSDFII and in 117 accessible village CDPs. Census and hydrological data showed large water supply differences between islands. Nationally, TDSFII did not identify water supply as a priority. In CDPs, 84% of villages across all Island Divisions ranked water supply as a priority. Reasons for the mismatch are advanced. It is recommended that improved governance in water in Pacific Island countries should build on available census and hydrological data and increased investment in local island planning processes.
Highlights
The United Nations (UN) 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (2030) for water and sanitation, i.e., “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” (SDG 6 [1]), presents significant challenges for small island development states (SIDS), in terms of securing universal and equitable access to safe and affordable water for all
Limited resources and institutions, dispersed island communities, increasing demands, scarce fresh groundwater resources vulnerable to salinization and pollution, variable and changing climates driven by large-scale ocean-atmosphere interactions and frequent, devastating, extreme events such as tropical cyclones, droughts and floods compound the difficulties of ensuring that communities have access to adequate and safe freshwater supplies [2,3], which is fundamental for sustainable development
National Sustainable Development Strategies have been promulgated as an improved overarching governance instrument to identify national priorities, plan their solutions, identify responsibilities, allocate resources, monitor and evaluate outcomes, as well as fulfil international and regional commitments, especially the UN SDGs
Summary
The United Nations (UN) 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (2030) for water and sanitation, i.e., “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” (SDG 6 [1]), presents significant challenges for small island development states (SIDS), in terms of securing universal and equitable access to safe and affordable water for all. Limited resources and institutions, dispersed island communities, increasing demands, scarce fresh groundwater resources vulnerable to salinization and pollution, variable and changing climates driven by large-scale ocean-atmosphere interactions and frequent, devastating, extreme events such as tropical cyclones, droughts and floods compound the difficulties of ensuring that communities have access to adequate and safe freshwater supplies [2,3], which is fundamental for sustainable development. Faced with these difficulties, Oceania was one of the few regions in the world that did not meet the 2015 Millennium Development Goals for water and sanitation [4]. The applicability of similar, transplanted governance mechanisms to PICs has been questioned [9]
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