Solomon Islands Joins Global Pact to Protect Climate-Resilient Coral Reefs

Nice, France – Wednesday 11 June 2025 – Solomon Islands has strengthened its commitment to ocean conservation, management and restoration by signing a global pledge to protect climate-resilient coral reefs. Hon. Trevor Manemahaga, Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, represented the country at the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), where a coalition of nations and international partners launched a high-level voluntary commitment to safeguard coral ecosystems most likely to survive the impacts of climate change.

The initiative is led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in collaboration with the Government of Papua New Guinea, WWF, and The Nature Conservancy. It focuses on protecting reefs with the strongest potential to withstand warming oceans and serve as key sites for future reef regeneration, biodiversity preservation, and human well-being. Solomon Islands joins 11 other countries in this global pledge, including Palau, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, France, Indonesia, Belize, the Bahamas, Madagascar, Panama, and Tanzania.

Minister Manemahaga highlighted that coral reefs in Solomon Islands are more than ecological assets—they are critical to the livelihoods, food security, and cultural identity of coastal communities. He noted the increasing threats facing the nation’s reefs, including climate change, pollution, destructive fishing practices, and unregulated coastal development. Solomon Islands’ endorsement of the pledge reflects its enduring responsibility to protect marine ecosystems for both current and future generations.

The commitment urges countries to integrate coral reef protection into national development, biodiversity, and climate plans, including Solomon Islands’ National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. It also promotes enhanced reef monitoring, efforts to reduce local threats such as pollution and illegal fishing, and the adoption of policies that support long-term reef resilience. Central to the initiative is the recognition of Indigenous knowledge and traditional practices, ensuring that local communities remain at the heart of conservation efforts.

Supporting the commitment is cutting-edge global science, including the forthcoming “50 Reefs+” analysis. Developed using WCS’s MERMAID platform, this high-resolution global mapping tool integrates data on live coral cover and reef health with climate models and human impact metrics to help governments make evidence-based decisions for reef protection.

The launch of the initiative has already received backing from partners such as Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Global Environment Facility, the Global Fund for Coral Reefs, and the International Coral Reef Initiative. The full commitment will be registered on the UN Voluntary Commitments Platform, with more countries expected to join in the lead-up to major ocean and climate meetings later in 2025.

Minister Manemahaga reaffirmed Solomon Islands’ leadership in marine protection in the Pacific, noting that the commitment is not just about conserving biodiversity but about securing the future for Solomon Islanders who rely on the ocean for their survival, culture, and economy.

Hon Trevor with counterparts from PNG

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