MECDM Aligns Work Plan Priorities with GREAT Coalition Government Development Agenda and Advances GEF-9 Programming

The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) has completed a strategic workshop focused on aligning its work plan priorities with the development agenda and priorities of the GREAT Coalition Government.

The workshop provided an important platform for the Ministry to review and align its programmes, priorities and planned activities with the GREAT Government’s broader development direction, ensuring that MECDM’s work contributes meaningfully to national development and the sustainable management of Solomon Islands’ environment and natural resources.

The alignment process is expected to strengthen coordination within the Ministry and its partners, ensuring that work plans remain responsive to the Government’s priorities, while maintaining a strong focus on environmental protection, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, disaster management, and meteorological services.

As part of the programme development, MECDM also undertook internal consultations on the Global Environment Facility (GEF‑9) programming. This process provides an important opportunity for Solomon Islands to identify and advance priority environmental initiatives that can be supported through the GEF‑9 funding cycle. MECDM also engaged with relevant stakeholders to ensure that national priorities are aligned with regional and global commitments, thereby strengthening the country’s capacity to access and effectively utilise GEF‑9 resources.

The GEF-9 programming will be used to complement Government’s broader environmental priorities and support national efforts to address key environmental challenges, including biodiversity conservation, climate change, land degradation

The completion of both processes marks an important step for MECDM in strengthening the harmonisation between national, regional and international development priorities and environmental financing opportunities.

Through these initiatives, MECDM is reaffirming its commitment to working closely with development partners, provincial governments, communities and other stakeholders to deliver practical environmental outcomes that support sustainable development of Solomon Islands.

The completion of both processes marks a milestone for MECDM, enabling the translation of work plan harmonisation and GEF‑9 programming into concrete programmes that reinforce resilience, safeguard biodiversity, and strengthen environmental stewardship in line with the GREAT Government’s policy direction.

The Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Hon Wayne Ghemu also participated in the final day of the two‑day workshop, underscoring its significance to national priorities. The workshop also brought together representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MALD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and other ministry projects, reflecting broad collaboration across sectors and partners.