CENTRAL GUADALCANAL, SOLOMON ISLANDS – September 5, 2025 – The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, last week, took a step forward in its commitment to environmental protection and community resilience with the opening of a workshop for the “Safeguarding Solomon Islands’ Endemic and Globally Threatened Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services from Key Threats, particularly Invasive Alien Species and Unsustainable Land Use Practices (SAFE)” on Thursday 4th and Friday 5th September 2025.
The event, held at the Paraniju Mountain Lodge in Central Guadalcanal, brought together officers and partners to strengthen vertical coordination among government (national, provincial), NGOs, communities, and partners for biodiversity conservation, and co-design the structure, mandate, and functions of a national Council of Biodiversity Experts and Practitioners across the nation.
The SAFE Project, represents a collective commitment to protecting ecosystems and natural habitats from the impacts of invasive alien species, land degradation and unsustainable developments, improving community livelihoods and safeguards, and ensuring that every Solomon Islander can thrive in a safe and secure environment. The project acknowledges that the Solomon Islands’ land and seascapes are the basis for the sustenance and livelihoods of local communities.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Environment Climate Change Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM), National Programmes Coordinator Mr. Sammy Airahui said, “Today marks another step forward in our shared journey towards strengthening safety, resilience, and sustainability for our people and communities. In a country as geographically diverse and culturally rich as ours, this is both a challenge and a great opportunity.
Mr. Airahui called on all participants to share openly, listen carefully, and work together in the spirit of unity saying “The future we are shaping depends on the decisions and actions we take now”
The SAFE Project operates through four interrelated components:
1. Enabling Framework: Establishing supportive policy and institutional mechanisms for biodiversity conservation, combating land degradation, and fostering a nature-based economy.
2. Risk Management: Applying a comprehensive approach to managing threats from invasive alien species and land degradation.
3. Community-Based Integrated Ecosystem Management: Promoting conservation and sustainable resource management across both land and seascapes, rooted in community engagement.
4. Knowledge, Awareness & Gender Mainstreaming: Improving knowledge-sharing, awareness-raising, monitoring and evaluation, and integrating gender considerations into project implementation.
A primary objective of the two-days’ workshop is to initiate the development of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between national agencies and provincial authorities to enhance vertical coordination for biodiversity mainstreaming.
This involved mapping key government agencies, provincial authorities, and relevant sectors, identifying and agreeing on their respective roles and responsibilities, and discussing the drafting of MOUs to formalize commitments and collaboration that will lay the foundation for a robust vertical coordination system under the SAFE Project.
By doing these, we are creating solutions that are practical, inclusive, and grounded in the realities of everyday life. Together, we are building stronger systems, empowering our communities, and ensuring that safety is not just a response, but a way of life”. Mr. Airahui said
The outcomes of this workshop are expected advance the Solomon Islands’ capacity to protect its unique biodiversity and ensure a resilient future for its people. The SAFE Project is funded by GEF-7, implemented by UNDP, and executed through the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) in partnership with MFMR and MAL in tandem with the 5 targeted Provinces.
The workshop ended on Friday 5th September 2025.
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[MECDM]
