Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology Corporate Plan 2015 - 2017.

The Corporate Plan of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) is a national policy with a cross-sectoral approach. The timeframe of the plan is three years, covering the period from 2015 to 2017. This Plan outlines the strategic goals and plans of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology in order to achieve a safe, sustainable and resilient environment for Solomon Islands.
The main mission of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology is to provide an enabling environment for the sustainable socio-economic development of the Solomon Islands through the application of necessary safeguards with regard to: sustainable use of natural resources; reducing the risk and impacts of climate change and other hazards to communities; leading and managing disaster preparedness and their consequences; and the provision of meteorological services. The MECDM’s strategies are divided into five key result areas: environment; climate change; disaster management; meteorology; and corporate services.
The strategies common to all functional areas focus on building strong partnerships, contributing to planning and budgeting processes, complying with laws and treaties, and developing relevant plans. They also emphasize operational efficiency, resource optimization, community awareness, and implementing national development strategies.
This Plan stresses on the protection of the environment and lays down strategies in the fields of collaboration and partnership between all stakeholders; public awareness and education; development and implementation of national policy and legislation; biodiversity conservation; protection of ecosystems, native species and genetic diversity; development of guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessments; marine and terrestrial protected areas; controlling international trade in wildlife; ecosystem based approach to management of fisheries and other marine resources; waste management; and pollution control. The environmental and social aspects of economic development will be promoted in the country. The MECDM shall establish a national monitoring database.
Climate change adaptation and mitigation and disaster risk management will be strengthened by coordinating and managing climate change programs and projects efficiently; strengthening governance and administrative capacity of the National Disaster Management Office; updating existing legal and policy frameworks; integrating disaster risk reduction into sector plans; raising awareness of communities; and developing hazard specific contingency and emergency plans at the national and provincial levels.
The MECDM gives emphasis on improving: (i) aviation, marine and public weather services; (ii) multi-hazard early warning systems for tropical cyclones, storm surges, waves and tsunami; (iii) early warning system for floods; (iv) climate information and prediction services, including drought prediction; (v) quality of observations and coverage of networks; (vi) institutional capacity; (vii) education, training and capacity development activities in the fields of meteorology and climatology; and (viii) strategic partnerships and collaboration with UN, regional and national organisations and agencies.