The dependence on subsistence economy by 85% of the country’s population makes environment particularly important to the well-being of Solomon Islanders and thus peoples’ livelihood and the economy are directly exposed to climate change and natural disaster impacts on biophysical resources and ecosystems. The CDM under the Kyoto Protocol is envisaged to provide Solomon Islands with an opportunity to achieve sustainable development through implementation of environmentally benign projects.
Solomon Islands are classified as a non-Annex I country under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2003. The Solomon Islands Government has appointed a Designated National Authority (DNA) to fulfil its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, thereby supporting the implementation of investment projects in Solomon Islands under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) that will lead to the reduction of greenhouse gases regulated by the Kyoto Protocol.
The DNA is established in the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM), with the National Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Committee, an interdepartmental committee made up of senior officials from across government and mandated by the Cabinet of Solomon Islands Government as overseeing body to issue binding recommendations for the DNA when answering requests for issuing of Letters of No Objection (LON) or Letter of Approval (LOA).