SOLOMON ISLANDS THE NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN 2016 - 2020 (Building a unified, vibrant and an informed Solomon Islands) Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management & Meteorology Foreword The predominantly subsistence lifestyle that characterises the Solomon Islands economy is underpinned by the country’s heavy reliance on its biological diversity or biodiversity. The importance of biodiversity as the basis for the people’s livelihood and wellbeing is therefore recognised by the Solomon Island Government. Beyond just the direct benefits such as provision of food, fresh water and revenue generation gained from the use of biodiversity, the regulating services provided by the country’s biodiversity helps us by protecting us from natural disasters and enable us to adapt to an ever challenging environment under today’s changing climate. Without biodiversity the country also loses its aesthetic, spiritual and educational values and significance, which are integral to our wellbeing and traditional way of life. Nonetheless, there is growing realisation that the country’s biodiversity is also under increasing pressure from multiple sources of threats, for example, from habitat loss, overexploitation and climate change. These pressures can be devastating for the health of the country’s biodiversity and, therefore our livelihood and wellbeing. The review and subsequent production of this National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2016 to 2020 constitutes intensified and concerted efforts by the Government to respond to the challenges facing the country’s biodiversity. As a Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) since 1995, the Government is committed to implementing the decisions of the Conference of Parties to the CBD. This revised NBSAP is a formal response by the Government to update the existing NBSAP, developed in 2009, as agreed by Parties at COP10 in Nagoya, Japan. Unlike its predecessor, this document has attempted to identify, prioritize and set biodiversity targets for the country for the next five (5) years in line with the Aichi biodiversity targets. Details on the priority areas and targets and the concept adopted for the documents are set out in the document. It is believed that the fourteen (14) priority areas identified and the fifteen (15) targets established will provide the Government with the strategic framework to manage and utilise the country’s biodiversity in a sustainable manner. For this to be realised, strengthening our ii partnership with our international environmental NGOs, provincial authorities, community and landowners requires concerted action and close collaboration between and among stakeholders. I therefore encourage and urge all stakeholders to support and assist the government in implementing the NBSAP to achieve its biodiversity targets as clearly stated for periods 2016 to 2020. On behalf of the government of Solomon Islands and as the Minister responsible for the environment and biodiversity conservation in Solomon Islands, I have much pleasure in endorsing the priorities, targets and strategies identified in the NBSAP. It is hoped this national biodiversity strategy will provide the needed leverage for funding support to implement its priority areas and action plans. Honorable Samuel Manetoali (MP) Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology iii Acknowledgment The production and publication of the NBSAP is a result of in-depth reviews and critical analysis of previous and past work by various individuals, agencies and organizations on the country’s biodiversity. Nevertheless, literature reviews alone has proven to be inadequate in providing all the information needed to inform the NBSAP revision. Some data could already be deemed obsolete and not of much relevance to the task at hand, especially, in identifying the priorities and formulating the necessary actions that are central to the implementation of this revised NBSAP document. Gathering of information for the review also benefited from face to face consultations with selected representatives of relevant agencies and organizations across public and private sectors alike. The insightful discussions that ensued from the consultations added further clarity to the documents already tendered. The document reviews and series of consultations undertaken have mutually supported each other in analyzing respective information and enabling the NBSAP to appear in this form. We gratefully acknowledge the level of understanding and cooperation shown by these various bodies and individuals towards the assignment. Production of the NBSAP really benefitted from the support rendered. Finally, we wish to take the opportunity to commend all our partners and, in particular the UNEP and GEF for funding the project. iv Disclaimer Information contained in this document is provided by the Environment and Conservation Division of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Management (MECDM) and the views and the interpretation presented here are of those of MECDM. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is not responsible for the information provided in this document. UNEP does not make any warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, warranties of accuracy, reliability, completeness, or content of such information in this document. Under no circumstances shall UNEP be responsible for any loss, damage or liability or expense incurred or suffered which is claimed to have resulted from the use of or reliance upon the information contained in this document, including, but not limited to, any fault error, mistake, omission or defect. Under no circumstances shall UNEP be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, punitive or consequential damages. v Table of Contents Foreword .................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgment ....................................................................................................................... iv Disclaimer ................................................................................................................................... v Summary .................................................................................................................................. viii Arrangement and components ...................................................................................... xviii Acronyms ................................................................................................................................. xix Part 1: Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Context ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 The overall conceptual design of the NBSAP ................................................................ 4 1.3 Methodology and approach for the NBSAP review ...................................................... 9 1.4 NBSAP revision objective ........................................................................................... 10 Part 2: Overview of the Solomon Island’s biodiversity .............................................................. 12 2.1 Solomon Islands Profile .............................................................................................. 12 2.2 Biophysical-Geography, Climate and Ethnographic features ...................................... 13 2.3 Coastal and Marine Biodiversity ................................................................................. 15 2.3.1 Status and trends ................................................................................................ 15 2.3.2 Importance of coastal and marine biodiversity for people’s livelihoods. .............. 17 2.4 Terrestrial Biodiversity ............................................................................................... 19 2.4.1 Status and trends ................................................................................................ 19 2.4.2 Importance of terrestrial biodiversity for people’s livelihoods ............................. 21 2.5 Inland water biodiversity .......................................................................................... 25 2.5.1 Status .................................................................................................................. 25 2.5.2 Importance of inland water biodiversity for people livelihoods. .......................... 26 2.6 Agro-biodiversity ....................................................................................................... 27 2.6.1 Status, trends and importance of agro-biodiversity for people’s well-being ........ 27 vi 2.7 Threats and management constrains ......................................................................... 29 2.8 Lesson Learned from NBSAP implementations ........................................................... 36 Part 3: Supporting Regulatory instruments: Laws, Policies, Regional and Multilateral Environmental Agreements ............................................................................................. 44 3.1 National and subnational Laws .................................................................................. 44 3.2 Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) and Bilateral agreements (BA) .........