Honiara, Solomon Islands – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), with the support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), handed over on 31 January specialized technical equipment to the Climate Change Division (CCD) of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) in Solomon Islands.  

The technical equipment will assist the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) in implementing Integrated Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments (IVAs) in local communities.

Through a standardized multisectoral approach, IVAs analyze the impacts of sudden and slow-onset natural hazards on communities, assessing their overall vulnerabilities to climate change and non-climate related factors.  

With IVAs, the Government, communities and development partners can obtain key information to implement need-based interventions and adaptation options. The assessments target particularly communities with heightened vulnerabilities.  

In 2023, IOM assisted MECDM in implementing three IVAs in the Western Province. The assistance to an additional six IVAs in Temotu and Isabel Provinces will be delivered in 2024 and 2025. 

Provided under the project “Strengthening Resilience Against Disaster and Climate Change Related Fragility in Solomon Islands,” the equipment will  significantly decrease the amount of time needed to collect topographical data and contribute to evidence-based decision-making to mitigate and manage disaster risks. 

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Harut Sarian – Project Manager – hsarian@iom.int