BY LORETTA B MANELE

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) with support of the New Zealand Government through the Loss and Damage Capability and Capacity (LDCC) Project has kicked off a 3-day training for local media organisations at Rock Haven Inn yesterday.

Jessica Rodham, SPREP Climate Change Loss and Damage Officer and training facilitator told media participants at the training that climate change induced Loss and Damage (L&D) is an issue that impacts us all.

She said our communities and nations have experienced more adverse impacts of climate change than previous generations and Pacific communities are experiencing the worst of these changes.

Rodham highlighted that coastlines are eroding and displacement has already occurred, pointing out that here in Solomon Islands, people have witnessed and experienced such devastating impacts.

She said SPREP is mandated by Pacific Governments to promote regional cooperation, provide assistance to protect and improve the Pacific environment, and ensure sustainable development for present and future generations.

“Since 2018, SPREP has worked with partners to build the capacity for Pacific Islands media to report on the issue of climate change, and other environmental issues,” she said.

Rodham said the media is a key part of global efforts to address climate change-induced loss and damage.

She said with Pacific countries at the forefront of the impacts of the climate crisis; radio, television, newspapers and the internet provide the fastest channels to amplify and communicate information to reach, influence and engage the masses.

“You are the eyes and ears of our communities, and you play such a critical role in telling, sharing and amplifying the stories of our people’s struggles, fight and successes when it comes to climate change,” said Rodham.

She told media representatives that the training was made possible with support from the Loss and Damage Capability and Capacity (LDCC) Project funded by the Government of New Zealand.

Rodham said the training is ongoing work which SPREP is rolling out across Pacific countries and that the first phase as a regional media training on loss and damage was held in Samoa in 2025.

She said the training was held to empower Pacific Media in terms of understanding climate change with focus on building their understanding of Loss and Damage and the best ways to report on the issue in their countries.

Rodham said they were delighted to have Ednal Palmer from In-Depth Solomons, join them for the training.

“The second phase saw a selection of reporters from the initial training return to Samoa to provide media coverage of the inaugural Youth Loss and Damage Dialogue, the second Pacific Regional Loss and Damage Dialogue as well as the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable (PCCR).

“Again, Solomon Islands was represented by Mr Ednal Palmer, who overcame some very tough competition from regional media colleagues, who had also vied for this opportunity,” she said.

Rodham also acknowledged the Media Association of Solomon Island (MASI), the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) and media participants for attending the training.

“I want to again thank the Government of New Zealand for making this possible,” she said.

Photo credit: Loretta B Manele

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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

THE people of Sasamuga village in South Choiseul, Choiseul Province, have acknowledged caretaker Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele for his support following the devastation caused by severe Tropical Cyclone Maila.

In a written message, Chairman of the Sasamuga Community Disaster Committee, Tani Kiko expressed gratitude to Manele for taking time to visit the people of Sasamuga after the cyclone.

He said the visit demonstrated that Manele and his government genuinely cared for the welfare of the people affected by the disaster.

“On behalf of the people of Sasamungga, we expresses deep appreciation for Hon. Manele’s leadership, service, and especially his solidarity visits to Sasamungga during a time of need.

“The South Choiseul Constituency Office is equally grateful for the support, kindness, and attention shown to our people through the leadership of Hon. Jeremiah Manele and our Member of Parliament, Hon. Tozen Leokana.

“May God continue to bless Hon. Jeremiah Manele, his family, his constituency, and his continued service to our nation,” Kiko said.

Sasamuga village was among the communities badly affected by the category five tropical cyclone, suffering extensive damage to infrastructure and properties.

Parts of the community clinic and classrooms were destroyed during the cyclone, while many families also lost personal belongings and other properties.

Mr Manele and his delegation visited Sasamuga weeks after the disaster as part of a solidarity tour to witness firsthand the destruction caused by the cyclone and to meet affected communities.

The visit was welcomed by villagers, who described it as a sign of support and encouragement during a difficult period of recovery.

Photo credit: Ben Bilua

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By RODRICK DESURI

Auki

The Kalona Aid Post in Small Malaita will resume normal health services after a year without service.

The resumption of essential service comes after a nurse serving at Afio Area Health station willingly availed himself to serve at the aid post and with the availability of medical drugs.

A nurse serving at Afio Area Health station, Cliff Sanau said the nurse arrived at Kalona Aid Post last week.

He said the nurse will spare this week to prepare the aid post before opening its services for people next week.

“The clinic will commence normal services on May 18, 2026. This week the nurse will pause the service upon his arrival last week to do preparation and setup in the clinic,” he said.

Early this month, Kilu’ufi Hospital distributed 15 boxes of essential medical treatments to clinics in the Southern region of Malaita Province.

In the meantime, he calls on communities in surrounding catchment areas of Kalona Aid Post to co-operate and work closely with the nurse at Kalona for the betterment of the clinic.

He said by working together, they can improve health services and provide best services to the people.

“So, I call upon those communities who stay within Kalona NAP catchment areas to co-operate and work closely to improve our clinic, and meet the very best health service ever that we need for our people,” he said.

The paper understands that Kalona Aid Post has been without health services for one full year, after the nurse serving left to do further studies. 

Photo credit: Cliff Sanau

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SI loses estimated USD79m annually in climate-related loss & damage

BY LORETTA B MANELE

Solomon Islands, according to the draft Solomon Islands Climate Loss and Damage Evidence Base Report (MECDM, 2026), is losing an estimated USD79 million every year in climate-related loss and damage.

David Hiba Hiriasia, Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management & Meteorology (MECDM) revealed this when he delivered his remarks at the three-day “Solomon Islands Loss and Damage Media Training” at Rock Haven Inn yesterday.

Addressing a number of media professionals representing media organisations at the training facilitated by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) with support of the New Zealand Government through the Loss and Damage Capability and Capacity (LDCC) Project, he said the figure (USD79m) is equivalent to 8.69 percent of Solomon Islands GDP annually.

Hiriasia said this is not just an environmental concern but also a national development challenge, a growing economic burden, and a human crisis.

“We saw this clearly in the 2014 Honiara floods. The Post-Disaster Needs Assessment conducted by World Bank documented that in just a matter of days, the event caused USD 107.8 million in damages equivalent to 9.2 percent of GDP.

“Twenty-two lives were lost, more than 50,000 people were affected, and beyond the economic losses, some impacts cannot be measured in dollars,” he said.

Hiriasia said at least five islands have already been permanently lost to sea-level rise, as recorded in the Solomon Islands National Climate Change Policy and supported by scientific studies such as Albert et al. (2016) in Environmental Research Letters.

The Permanent Secretary said for those communities, their histories and sense of place cannot be replaced and these are stories that must be told by the media hence why the role of the media is so critical.

Hiriasia said loss and damage is not just about figures and reports, it is about people, communities, and lived experiences.

“The media has the power to transform statistics into human narratives, to amplify the voices of those on the frontline, and to ensure that the world understands the human dimension of climate change,” he said.

Hiriasia said at the global level, loss and damage has long been a priority for the Pacific.

He mentioned that Vanuatu first raised the issues on behalf of Small Island states in 1991 and since then, the Pacific has worked tirelessly to bring it to the international stage.

Hiriasia said this culminated in the establishment of the Santiago Network in 2019 and the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage in 2022.

He said these mechanisms present important opportunities for our region, but our voices must be heard in order to access them.

“And the media is the bridge that carries those voices from our villages and coastlines to the global stage.

“Radio, television, newspapers, and digital platforms are not just channels of communication, they are instruments of change,” he said.

Hiriasia said the media can inspire empathy, mobilise action, and hold leaders accountable in the context of climate change and ensure that lived reality in the Pacific is not ignored but recognised as a warning to the world.

He told the media representatives that their work as journalists, broadcasters, and storytellers is therefore central to national and regional efforts.

“You are not just reporting you are shaping the global narrative of climate justice,” said Hiriasia.

In closing remarks, he said the training builds on the partnership between the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) and SPREP to strengthen our One Pacific Voice.

“I sincerely thank the Government of New Zealand for their financial support through the Loss and Damage Capability and Capacity project, which has made this workshop possible.

“I also thank SPREP and MASI for their collaboration. I look forward to seeing powerful content and media stories emerge from your work today. Stories that will not only inform but also inspire, stories that will ensure the lived realities of our people are never ignored,” he said.

The training started yesterday and will conclude on Wednesday.

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BY LORETTA B MANELE

Twenty-four youths from Malaita and Guadalcanal provinces attended a three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) on “Climate Policy Awareness, Influencing and Advocacy Strategy” from May 5 – 7 at DD Inn in Honiara.

This training for youths from local Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the Youth Economic and Climate Action (YECA) project was implemented by Plan International Solomon Islands with support from European Union (EU).

Speaking to Island Sun on Tuesday, May 5, Duta Bero, Country Program Manager for Plan International Solomon Islands, said the main objective of the training is for participants to understand climate change policies and strategies.

“And how they can use this knowledge to inform their communities of action plans in which the communities can come up with to progress these policies at the community level,” she said.

Bero said that the YECA project is active in Malaita and Guadalcanal provinces.

Facilitator of the training, Wilson Junior Maeriua said the training is to empower youths in terms of raising their advocacy and influencing their learning in reference to climate advocacy.

“My role is to help them understand what is climate change, what causes climate change and how we can adapt and mitigate in relation to addressing climate change issues,” he said.

Also attended the training was Methodius Iapara, Deputy Director and National Youth Program officer for Youth for the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA).

He said the ToT in terms of climate change is important because it affects us in terms of sustainability in terms of livelihood.

“As someone who works with young people, if the youths do not know who they are with the connection of where we live, we will not survive.

“The point is that our food source and our livelihood at sea or land is where we survive and with our context of land ownership, this is our heritage as custodians of our land,” he said.

Iapara said through this training, participants can utilise what their forefathers handed to them through tribal settings.

A participant from Malaita province shared what he thought of the training on the second day of the training.

Lesley Sanga, farm advisor for the Gwaunafiu Organic Farmers School said he learned a lot of things from the training.

“We are here to look at climate change policies and to know what climate change is about and how we can deal with it in our communities,” he said.

Another participant, Nichola Siapu from Mbirao Ward Youth Association at Marau Sound, East Guadalcanal said for her, the training is about learning about climate change and what they can do to overcome or prevent the effects of climate change in their communities.

“I also learned of ways of how we can get the attention of stakeholders like NGOs, government and Members of Parliament,” she said.

Island Sun also spoke with the two YECA project coordinators, Richard Olita, project coordinator for Malaita province and Nixon Tooler, project coordinator for Guadalcanal Province.

Mr Olita said the participants who travelled from Malaita to attend the training are very happy to be at the training.

He said that this is an opportunity that does not come easily for their youths in the province.

“So, this is a boost for community-based organisations. We want to strengthen our communities and have direct engagement with them,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Tooler said the training aims to increase the voice of youths and women in terms of climate change policy and actions.

“So that they can be more engaged and involved in planning and take action on the impacts of climate change in their communities,” he said.

Throughout the three-day training, participants engaged in discussions, group activities and presentations.

On the first day, Tuesday, May 5, participants focused on “Understanding Climate Change and Policies”, before moving on to “Policy Awareness and Influencing” on the second day and concluded with “Climate Advocacy for Youth and Action Planning” on the last day of the training.

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