Solomon Islands in good position to integrate disaster risk reduction with climate change

By Daniel Namosuaia, Solomon Star: http://www.solomonstarnews.com

10 July 2013, Nadi, Fiji - Solomon Islands is in a great position to integrate climate change and disaster risk management says the Director of Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office, Loti Yates.

Yates said Solomon Islands has two key documents, one a national Disaster Risk Management Plan and Climate Change Policy.

“These two documents have put the country on the right path to integrating Disaster Risk Management with Climate Change Adaptation. However there are issues that need to be addressed to make this a reality.”

The NDMO director said Solomon Islands has a high chance of integrating these two structures despite the funding challenges it would face.

He said the disaster Risk Management Plan of 2010 has arrangements to deal with disaster risk and climate change adaptation.

And the climate change policy has indicated imperatives of aligning or integrating disaster risk management and climate change adaption.

He said currently they have two groups comprising of the national climate change team and the national disaster council which is like a barrier to the idea of integration.

But Yates said he sees no point of forming these two different groupings doing parallel work when the two groups are made up of much the same people.

“I believe it would be wise to have only one head for these two groups. Because at the end of the day when you talk about climate proofing or risk proofing development, it is about incorporating those agendas into how the work is done. And if we run parallel we will be duplicating work and using limited resources.”