About the Ministry

The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) is responsible for sustainable environmental management, climate change adaptation and mitigation, disaster risk management and meteorological services for the Solomon Islands. The Ministry is organised into four technical divisions that look after each of the technical areas, namely environment and conservation, climate change, disaster management, meteorology. There is a separate division that is responsible for corporate services.

Minister of Ministry of Environment Climate Change Disaster Management and Meteorology

Hon. Minister Stanley Festus Sofu

Welcome to the Ministry of Environment Climate Change Disaster Management and Meteorology.

Our Mission

“To provide an enabling environment for the socio-economic development of the Solomon Islands through the application of necessary safeguards with regard to:

Sustainable use of natural resources; the provision of meteorol ogical services; reducing the risk and impact of climate change and other hazards to communities; Leading and managing disaster preparedness and their consequences.

The MECDM is relatively new (amalgamated in 2007 and expanded in 2010). Its key mandates are to promote and ensure safe, sustainable and resilient Solomon Islands communities and to coordinate and guide the sustainable use and conservation of the Solomon Islands’ natural resources and ecosystems, as well as providing key data services such as meteorological information and disaster risk reduction and management strategies.

These mandates are derived from both Cabinet decisions and legislation. As one senior staff of the Ministry put it, the MECDM’s mandate is distilled to that of a “safeguards” Ministry to enable sustainable socioeconomic development in the Solomon Islands.

Our Services

Guiding Legislation

There are five legislated mandates associated with MECDM divisions. The Environment & Conservation Division is responsible for three acts, namely:

  1. The Environment Act 1998;
  2. Wild Life Protection and Management Act 1998 and;
  3. Protected Areas Act 2010;
  4. Meteorology Act 1985;
  5. National Disaster Council Act 1989

Other laws that govern the MECDM’s areas of work include:

  1. The Essential Services Act and;
  2. Civil Aviation Act 2008
  3. Part 174 Civil Aviation Rules – Aviation Meteorological Service Organisation Certification

Essential Services

Other laws that govern the MECDM’s areas of work include:

  1. The Essential Services Act and;
  2. Civil Aviation Act 2008
  3. Part 174 Civil Aviation Rules – Aviation Meteorological Service Organisation Certification and.

National Framework

The Solomon Islands National Development Strategy 2016-2035 is the country’s main development strategy. Of the document’s 5 objectives, objective 4 is the most relevant to the MECDM’s work.

This objective aims to achieve “Resilient and environmentally sustainable development with effective disaster risk management, response and recovery.” This is divided into two mid-term strategies that aim to achieve this objective:

Improve disaster and climate risk management including prevention, risk reduction, preparedness, response and recovery and adaptation as part of resilient development.

Manage the environment in a sustainable resilient way and effectively respond to climate change. At the national level, interventions to achieve these objectives are implemented by numerous agencies but mostly MECDM.

These objectives are further supported by the actions of the ruling DCC Government Policy Strategy.

Divisions and Departments

Environment and Conservation

Environment and Conservation Division (ECD) was first established in 1985 through a Cabinet directive. The Division attained its legal status and became institutionalized later under section 5 of the Environment Act 1998. Despite its relatively small size, ECD currently administers three Acts of Parliament including Environment Act 1998, Wildlife Protection and Management Act 1998 and Protected Areas Act 2010, with their respective Regulations. The Division’s key functions and areas of responsibility are stipulated in these three legislative frameworks.

Vision

To ensure the Environment and Natural Resources of Solomon Islands are protected, managed and sustainably used for the maximum benefit of the Government and people of Solomon Islands 

Mission

To improve and strengthen the national institutional and administrative capacity of the division to be able to promote the protection, conservation and sustainable management of the use of the environment and natural resources of Solomon Islands.

Core functions and responsibilities

The overarching function of the Division is to protect, restore and enhance the quality of the environment of Solomon Islands, having regard to the need to promote sustainable development. The Division in this regard not only is concerned with meeting environmental specific objectives but, achieving those objectives in a way that does not undermine and cost the country socio-economically. This is the primary challenge for the Division. Given the enormity of this responsibility, the Division always strives to achieve the most desirable outcome by working in partnership and collaboration with other relevant national level agencies and non-government organizations (NGOs).

Climate Change Division

The Climate Change Division aims to send a strong message to Solomon Islanders, the global community and the country’s donor partners on the high level of importance the Government places on the issue of climate change. The mandate and operations of the division will include; close monitoring on the extent to which Solomon Islands is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, play a leading role in mobilizing resources for adaptation and mitigation initiatives, conduct relevant and priority research and information dissemination activities, seek resources to support national programmes to mitigate the causes of climate change, and be the country’s lead agency in addressing Solomon Islands’ obligations as a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Solomon Islands’ commitment to the Pacific Islands Climate Change Framework.

Vision

A resilient, secure and sustainable Solomon Islands responding to climate change

Mission Statement

To enhance adaptation, disaster risk reduction and mitigation capacity throughout the Solomon Islands that contributes to increased resilience and achievement of sustainable development goals.

Functions and Responsibility
  • Carry out country-wide climate change awareness and advocacy all year round.
  • Carry out country-wide vulnerability and risk assessments on current and future impacts.
  • Undertake research on effective and appropriate adaptation and mitigation options.
  • Strengthen our climate and geospatial system that will serve as the baseline hub for necessary data and information.
  • Identify and develop evidence-based priority adaptation and mitigation project concepts and programs (project pipeline).
  • Plan and implement various adaptation and mitigation projects.
  • Coordinate sectoral ministries and other stakeholders who are implementing climate change activities.
  • Development of guiding policies and strategies to effectively address climate change at all governance levels and across all sectors.
  • Secure international technical and financial support towards climate change initiatives in the country.
  • Provide technical and policy advice for the government on climate change issues at national, regional and international levels.

Ensure the country adheres to our international obligations under the UN Climate Change Convention and the Paris Agreement.

Solomon Islands Meteorological Service

In 1985, a Meteorology Act was passed in the National Parliament and Solomon Islands Meteorological Services (SIMS) became a member of World Meteorological Organization on 06th May 1985. The Act makes provisions for the effective and proper administration of Meteorological Services to support economic development and the national interest of Solomon Islands to deal with other Meteorological related matters.

Currently, Solomon Islands Meteorological Services Division operates seven manned Met Stations, Six Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and seven Automatic Rainfall Gauges (ARG) stations. The main operating office is located at GESO Building, Vavaya Ridge in Honiara.

Vision

Ensure safety of lives and protection of properties in Solomon Islands through effective management of Meteorological Service.

Mission

To modernise, strengthen and enhance the institutional and administrative capacity of Meteorological service division to provide a competency services to the people and the government of Solomon Islands for sustainable development and resilience communities.

Key Issues:

Solomon Islands a country separated by oceans faced with great challenge in its Meteorological observations and monitoring network to provide timely information to its people and developments. Such effective services require observations of various types and of adequate quality and quantity at the right place and right time. Both surface-base and space observations are required of physical and climate variable of atmosphere, land and oceans, including hydrological, carbon cycles and the cryosphere. Delivering such useful meteorological information also requires the availability of socio-economic, biological, and environmental data which must be effectively integrated to develop and provide useful information to the public domain, farmers, health sector, disaster risk reduction and to other weather and climate sensitive sectors.

The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) is the Secretariat of the National Disaster Council (NDC).

Vision

To establish safe sustainable and resilient Solomon island communities.

Mission

Provide leadership in the development and maintenance of measures to support communities in reducing their risks and managing the consequences of disasters.

Functions:
  • Provide advice to the minister and the council on all matters relating to DRM
  • Develop policy and provide leadership and advocacy across the DRM sector
  • Provide planning ,and establish arrangements for DRM at the national level
  • Coordinate, support and monitor planning and arrangements for DRM at the sector, provincial and community level
  • Coordinate, and manage the national response to and recovery from  disaster events when they occur
  • Develop and support public awareness of DRM and their role within it
  • Engage with partners, NGO’s and civil society to ensure their involvement in DRM is effectively integrated with the arrangements of this plan
  • Establish and maintain database for DRM information including hazard and vulnerability maps, planning documents and disaster information
  • Monitor DRM development and activity and report to council. 
NDMO Units
  Operation Unit

​These are the functions of the Operations Unit:

  • Dissemination of Tsunami Early warning
  • Dissemination of All Hazards precautionary Safety Messages
  • Information collection, Analysis and Dissemination
  • Communication
  • Coordination of Humanitarian Response
  • Resource requesting, dispatching and tracking
  • Alert monitoring and warning monitoring
  • Corporate Service Unit
 Programs Unit

These are the functions of the Programs Unit:

  • Prepared awareness materials
  • Provide IDM/IDA training for school of nursing
  • Provide disaster risk reduction awareness for communities
  • Liaise with stakeholders in disaster risk reduction Activities
  • Support operation unit in peace time and  during disaster time

Express Directory

NamePhone No.
Main Office23031/23032
Minister21348
Permanent Secretary27751
Deputy Secretary20331
Financial Controller27062
Human Resources Manager27062
Principal Admin Officer27062
Receptionist23031
Environment and Conservation26036
Climate Change Division26004
Director - Meteorological Service20332
Weather Observation Operation Henderson36310
Quality Management Services23031
MET - ICTS & Technology Services23029
Climate and Ocean Services24218
Research and Training Services24218
Weather Forecasting Services27658
National Disaster Management Office (NDMO)27397

Location

If you’re in the Solomon Islands and wish to visit us, our office location is provided below for your convenience. We look forward to welcoming you.

Ministry of Environment Climate Change Disaster Management  and Meteorology

Ground Level, Advance Technologies Ltd Building, Pt. Cruz

P.O Box 21 Honiara

Phone 23031/23032

Solomon Islands

Social Media Links

Environment and Conservation Division Facebook Page

Solomon Islands MET Service Facebook Page

Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office Facebook Page
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