A TEAM from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) has developed eight proposals for funding from donors and multi-lateral partners.
Adaptation Consultant, Dr Michael Ha’apio confirmed this during an interview after a donor dialogue on prioritized climate change projects in Solomon Islands held at the Mendana Hotel on Wednesday 30 October.
The proposals focus on adaptation and mitigation strategies.
The adaptation initiatives address coastal erosion and relocation, while the mitigation efforts emphasize sustainable road standards and the forestry sector.
Dr Ha’apio stated that the team aims to socialize these project ideas with donor partners as soon as possible to align their efforts with the identified priorities.
“If there isn’t enough funding from donors, we will prepare these proposals for submission to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Green Environment Fund (GEF), or Adaptation Fund,” he explained.
“However, early engagement from donors allows us to identify specific components or sectors they wish to support, facilitating co-financing opportunities,” Dr Ha’apio added.
He said under the simplified GCF approval process, the team is targeting $25 million USD in funding, which could potentially increase to $30 million with co-financing.
The proposal development process follows a Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) that includes three stages: prioritization of projects, barrier analysis and the creation of a technology adaptation or action plan.
This process has taken us three years, starting in 2022,” Dr Ha’apio said.
As part of their requirements, the team plans to submit two projects to the United Nations Environment Programme next month.
Attendees at the dialogue included representatives from Australia, the British High Commission, the Japanese Embassy, the United States, New Zealand and other government ministries.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
