SOLOMON Islands is set to benefit from $156 million in funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to manage risks caused by the redistribution of tuna stocks due to climate change to contribute to food security.
The country will join the Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu to benefit from the project.
All 15 countries, including Solomon Islands, are members of the Pacific Community (SPC) and also signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Of this amount of $156 million, approximately $107.5 million is provided by the GCF, whilst the remaining funds will be co-financed by other partner countries.
The GCF Board approved the funding proposal last week, which was submitted in 2019 by the SPC, the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), along with the 15 member countries.
SPC Director General Dr Stuart Minchin announced the GCF funding approval yesterday during a session on the Pacific regional cooperation at the Honiara Summit at Friendship Hall.
His announcement received standing ovation from those in attendance.
Dr Minchin explained that a decade ago, SPC members recognised that climate change poses a significant threat to the region and would likely impact the distribution of tuna.
“We needed to ask the question: what impact will climate change have on tuna distribution in our region? So, we set off on a path to answer that question, conducting scientific research, monitoring, and modelling to gain a better understanding,” he said.
Dr Minchin said six years ago, this work led to a concept note being submitted to the GCF, one of the major climate finance mechanisms in the region.
“Thousands of pages of applications, years of effort, and overcoming hundreds of administrative challenges brought us to this point. But last week, it resulted in a significant achievement for our region—one that will have long-term impacts,” he added.
He outlined two key areas of focus for the initiative, which are Understanding Climate Change’s Impact on Tuna Distribution and Supporting Coastal Communities and Sustainable Fisheries.
Understanding Climate Change’s Impact on Tuna Distribution
He said the project aims to enhance monitoring and modelling efforts, utilising tools such as CSIRO’s genomics capability to analyse tuna stocks and their responses to environmental changes.
Dr Minchin said the goal is to provide predictive advice to policymakers, ensuring proactive decision-making to protect tuna resources—one of the region’s largest contributors to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“This will involve extensive regional activities, including installing new instrumentation, improving models, and enhancing tagging programs to bring together critical scientific data,” he explained.
Supporting Coastal Communities and Sustainable Fisheries
Dr Minchin said the second focus of the project is on improving access to sustainable fisheries for local coastal communities.
“It’s essential to secure optimal food sources for these communities while ensuring sustainability. One aspect of this involves deploying fish aggregating devices outside reef systems, allowing local fishermen to catch tuna without overfishing coral reef ecosystems. This will improve food availability, reduce fuel costs, and alleviate pressure on coral reefs.”
Furthermore, he said the project will explore ways to utilise bycatch and trans-shipment waste to enhance food security without undermining local fishermen’s livelihoods.
“The loss of potential food resources due to waste is significant. Finding a sustainable way to use these resources while protecting local fishermen is critical,” he emphasised.
The Honiara Summit, which focuses on meaningful action and innovation towards achieving the United Nations SDG14: Life Below Water, with a dedicated focus on the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources for our sustainable development, concludes today.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
