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The National Capacity Self Assessment for Global Environment Management (NCSA) is a tool to help the government of Tonga to assess its current level of capacity to meet its obligations under the UNCBD, UNFCCC and UNCCD. Implicit in this is the notion that, with a little guidance and the right tools, the agencies and organizations with direct responsibilities for implementing Tonga’s obligations under the conventions will be capable of self reflecting and identifying their own strengths and weaknesses to meet these obligations. This then becomes the starting point for intentional organizational improvement initiatives which should, in turn, allow adequate planning for future growth and development that capitalizes on current strengths while addressing current limitations. The National Capacity Self-Assessment Project is a Global Environment Facility (GEF) initiative supported by the UNDP Country Office in Fiji and implemented by the Department of Environment. The project document was prepared and endorsed by the Government of Tonga in November 2004. The NCSA was initiated in September 2005 with the recruitment of the NCSA project management unit staff.

The 1992 Rio Earth Summit endorsed a blueprint for the future (Agenda 21), two Conventions, one on Climate Change and one on Biological Diversity, and the RIO Declaration. Since then, global, regional and national programmes were initiated to implement the outcome of the Rio Earth Summit.