BY JARED KOLI
SOLOMON Islands is consistently ranked among the 10 most-at-risk countries in the world in global disaster.
This is according to a new transport strategy (Transport Sector Assessment, Strategy, and Road Map 2021–2025) for Pacific launched by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) yesterday in Manila, Philippines.
The new strategy reviews transport sector performance, summarizes development constraints, and articulates the rationale and strategic direction behind ADB’s support in Asia Pacific.
“Under Climate change adaptation and disaster risk management, on global disaster risk indices, Pacific countries such as Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu are consistently ranked among the 10 most-at-risk countries in the world.
“Natural hazards, compounded by the effects of climate change, are producing frequent and tangible losses in the Pacific region,” it said.
The report adds disaster events, such as tropical cyclones, have grown in intensity; while heightened weather variability is leading to prolonged periods of droughtand flooding.
“Sea level rise, spring tides and storm surges, and other extreme events associated with climate change can have devastating effects on connectivity infrastructure,” the report said.
According to the key results of the World Risk Index 2020, which indicates the disaster risk for 181 countries in the world, Solomon Islands sits at the fifth with the fifth highest disaster risk (24.25), Vanuatu leads the index with highest disaster risk (49.74) and Qatar has the lowest risk (0.31).
However, the new ADB assessment strategy highlights sector performance; priority development constraints; and ADB’s support, experience, and strategic directions for the transport sector in its Pacific developing member countries.
The assessment strategy is linked to and informs ADB’s strategy document for the region, the Pacific Approach.
Both the Transport Sector Assessment, Strategy, and Road Map 2021–2025 and the Pacific Approach cover the period from 2021 to 2025.
