The Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) has provided the Solomon Islands Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) with specialised technical equipment that will allow access to the latest climate models, climate science information, and research for the Solomon Islands.
The equipment, in the form of super laptops, were handed over by the Manager of the Pacific Climate Change Centre, Ms ‘Ofa Kaisamy, Minister of MECDM, the Honourable Stanley Festus Sofuas as part of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the PCCC assistance to the Green and Resilient Pacific Games Initiative 2023.
According to Ms Kaisamy, this assistance to MECDM is in line with the PCCC thematic area for climate science and services, applied research and innovation.
She further elaborated on the important role that science plays in informing the climate process, especially in relation to informing innovative climate solutions and providing facts to build the case for climate action and urgency for implementation.
“In the Pacific we need science-based solutions from scientific research to help move assessments and plans to implementation that will leave no one behind”.
The Honourable Minister acknowledged SPREP through the PCCC for the support and relayed the Government of Solomon Islands’ gratitude for the Greening of the Games support and especially the assistance to the Meteorological Service.
The specialised equipment will enhance the meteorological service and weather forecast for the upcoming Pacific Games in November 2023 and beyond to enhance the adaptive capacity and resilience of the people of Solomon Islands to the impacts of climate change.
The Solomon Islands will host the 17th edition of the Pacific Games, the region’s premier multi-sporting event and biggest event of any type, in Honiara during 19th November – 2nd December 2023. As part of a suite of initiatives undertaken by the Solomon Islands Government to host the Games, it launched on 3rd March the ‘Safe and Green Games Strategy’. The framework is overseen by the Government Services Integration Committee (GSIC). It has been developed to coordinate activities and tasks to be carried out by a range of stakeholders, to support the successful hosting of the Games and achieve ‘a safe and beautiful Honiara for the games and beyond’.
The support provided for Greening of the Pacific Games and as part of the Solomon Islands “Safe and Green Games Strategy” was made possible through the PCCC collaboration and support from the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the New Zealand Government Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
It support reinforces the PCCC’s commitment to support Solomon Islands to deliver a successful game and to enforce its vision for a Blue Resilient Pacific with scientifically based information for policy making to secure the future generation of our Pacific Island Countries and Territories.
