Honiara, Solomon Islands - UNDP Solomon Islands proudly joined celebrations last week for both World Meteorology Day (WMD) and World Water Day (WWD) at the Honiara City Council Sports Precinct complex. 

The event attracted 10 schools and numerous learners from Honiara and was graced by esteemed guests, including Iroi Channel from the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Disaster and Meteorology (MECDM), David Hiba from the Solomon Islands Meteorology Services (SIMS) under MECDM, and Richard Molea from the Water Resources Management Division (WRMD) under the Ministry of Mines Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE).

The double celebration featured various fun-filled and empowering activities, including display stalls, competitions, speeches, and entertainment, highlighting the critical link between meteorological and hydrological services. As several communities and sectors in the Solomon Islands are perennially affected by flooding events triggered by cyclones and heavy rain, this twin celebration served as a reminder of the importance of addressing these challenges.

This year's theme for World Meteorology Day ‘Frontline of Climate Action’ resonated deeply with SIMS's mandate as a frontliner in climate action. Similarly, echoing last year's theme for World Water Day, ‘Leveraging Water for Peace’ holds profound significance in the face of climate change and the realities many communities face.

Through the Integrated Disaster Risk Management Project (IDRM) supported by the Government of Australia, UNDP has supported SIMS to boost its capacity as a climate action frontliner. SIMS provides crucial 24-hour ocean and weather observation system, monitoring, and forecasting of early warnings, benefiting the marine, aviation, infrastructure, agriculture, and health sectors, as well as vulnerable communities across the country.

Looking ahead, UNDP remains committed to further strengthening SIMS's mandate. This includes expanding and improving existing weather observation capacity through investments in various interventions, including the installation of automatic weather stations and enhancing the existing observations network.

For more information or media inquiries please contact:

Daniel C. Gonzalez, Communications Specialist, UNDP Solomon Islands Office, daniel.calderon.gonzalez@undp.org | +677 7740 740/ +34 656 565 270