| Overview : The impacts of climate change, particularly sea-level rise (SLR) and pronounced droughts have severe consequences on water and sanitation in the Solomon Islands. Due to SLR, low-lying islands, atolls and flat deltaic regions are faced with salt water intrusion, affecting the groundwater resources and limiting access to freshwater supply. Droughts have severely affected water supplies; during the 1997/1998 droughts that resulted in reduction of freshwater availability in the capital city of Honiara by around 30-40%. Droughts have also damaged crops and livelihoods. Likewise, climate-related impacts on the quality and quantity of water has a gender dimension; in the context of the ethnic tensions, the safety and security of women and girls are compromised as they need to travel further to collect water, also leading to less time for other activities. In this context, Government of the Solomon Islands, Ministries of Mines, Energy, and Rural Electrification (MMERE), in partnership with Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM), Ministry of Health and Medical Services – Environmental Health Division, and UNDP has embarked on the Solomon Islands Water Sector Adaptation Project (SIWSAP) through support from GEF LDCF. The project objective is to improve the resilience of water resources to the impacts climate change and improve health, sanitation and quality of life, so that livelihoods can be enhanced and sustained in the targeted vulnerable areas. SIWSAP has been working with partners to achieve this objective through 1) Water Sector – Climate Change Adaptation Response Plans formulated, integrated and mainstreamed in water sector-related and in broader policy and development frameworks, 2) increasing the reliability and improving the quality of water supply in targeted areas, 3) investing in cost-effective and adaptive water management interventions and technology transfer, and 4) improving governance and knowledge management for climate change adaptation in the water sector at the local and national levels. To date, the project has implemented and propose to implement the following activities under each of the respective outcomes: |
