BY NED GAGAHE
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is strengthening support for climate resilience and early warning systems in Solomon Islands through new meteorological observation projects across the country.
UNDP Pacific Office Resident Representative Ms. Munkhtuya Altangerel revealed this while speaking to local media in Honiara last week following a week of meetings with government ministries, development partners and civil society organisations.
Ms. Altangerel said UNDP is currently supporting efforts to establish weather balloon stations in key provinces to improve meteorological monitoring and disaster preparedness.
“Currently, we are engaged in securing the weather balloon stations in some key provinces of Solomon Islands,” she said.
She said the initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen early warning systems and climate resilience as Solomon Islands continues to face increasing climate-related challenges.
“It is really important to understand and prepare the next cohort of Solomon Islanders who are meteorological observer specialists in their own right,” Ms. Altangerel said.
She said the project aims not only to improve weather monitoring capability but also to build local technical capacity in meteorological observation and forecasting.
Ms. Altangerel said advanced early warning systems are critical to protect lives and communities from disasters linked to climate change and extreme weather events.
“As our United Nations Secretary-General mentions all the time, every person living in this world, on this planet, has the right to advanced early warning systems, so not a single life is lost,” she said.
She added that UNDP is working closely with various institutions and stakeholders to advance meteorological observation and early warning systems throughout Solomon Islands.
“We are very, very happy that we are working with many, many institutions to advance the meteorological observation and early warning systems across Solomon Islands,” she said.
Climate resilience remains one of UNDP’s major areas of engagement in Solomon Islands alongside governance and democratic development initiatives.
During her visit, Ms. Altangerel held consultations with government ministers, provincial governance authorities, development partners, Parliament representatives and civil society organisations on key national development priorities.
Photo credit: UNDP
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