BY LYNTON AARON FILIA
CLIMATE Change, forest and land degradation and loss of local biodiversity affect people’s economic and social welfare globally and the Solomon Islands is not an exception.
Solomon Islands is facing negative impacts of climate change which in turn affects people’s economic, health, education and social welfare, and addressing these global environmental issues is everyone’s business.
Recently, Solomon Islands joined the gathering of world leaders to sign the Paris Agreement which demonstrates the world’s collective commitment to address climate change.
Under Secretary for Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDMM) Mr Chanel Iroi said in this beautiful nation of Solomon Islands, concerns have been expressed over unsustainable practices in logging and mining.
With this he said SIG demonstrated commitment to addressing these issues in the international front as well as through local initiatives, given their impacts on people’s economic and social welfare.
Iroi said at the international front, SIG has ratified and acceded to several Multi-lateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought (UNCCD).
To ensure domestic application, SIG is required to mainstream the MEAs obligation into local plans and policies, and it already done, he explained.
“Like other countries, we have Climate Change National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA), the National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan (NBSAP), and more recently the development and endorsement of the National REDD+ Roadmap which being support by the UN-REDD Programme and UNDP,” Iroi said.
Amongst other, the Integrating Global Environment Communities in Investment and Development Decision Making (IGECIDDM)/CB2 Project co-funded by GEF, UNDP and SIG has been providing support to SIG (MECDM, MoFR and MAL) to implement these plans especially the National REDD+ Roadmap for the past three and half years.
Outcome of the project, Iroi said a REDD + Training Manual (focus on GIS), an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for logging and palm oil development and a National REDD+ website has been developed for the SIG.
“Currently, the project has also assist the Government by providing legal options on the review of the Environment Act and the Forest Resource and Timber Utilisation Act,” he said.
At the moment, Iroi said they developed a book and teacher resource material for high schools and SINU purposely to boost awareness on good Environment practices to safeguard the environment.
