BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
ONE of Solomon Islands’ leading environment experts has stressed the need to integrate climate change into all levels of development planning.
Speaking to Island Sun during the Ward Profiling Workshop in Gizo, Dr. Morgan Wairiu said scientific data collected over the past 80 to 90 years clearly show that global temperatures continue to rise — a trend that underscores the urgency of mainstreaming climate change in development policies.
“Scientific evidence tells us that temperature increases are influencing the entire climate system.
“This means we will continue to experience more severe flooding, droughts, sea level rise, tropical cyclones, and the depletion of natural resources,” he said.
Morgan explained that these climate hazards are already threatening people’s livelihoods and the country’s natural resources, stressing that effective strategies are needed to ensure that development plans include measures to mitigate these risks.
“Mainstreaming climate change in development is the best way forward for Solomon Islands. “Our development plans must include climate adaptation and resilience strategies to safeguard communities and infrastructure,” he said.
Morgan urges the government to move beyond discussions and take concrete action to address the growing challenges posed by climate change.
“I think the government is spending more time talking about the impacts of climate change with less action on the ground.
“It’s time to seriously integrate adaptation plans into all development processes at the national, provincial, and community levels,” he said.
Dr. Wairiu added that climate change is a long-term reality and that policies and strategies must evolve to meet these ongoing challenges.
“Climate change is here to stay, so our development direction must align with this new normal,” he said.
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