DNA Management Structure

The DNA involves a number of Solomon Islands stakeholders: The Climate Change Division under MECDM is hosting the DNA supported by the National CDM Committee, which is an interdepartmental committee made up of senior officials from across government and mandated by the Cabinet of Solomon Islands Government. The organizational structure of the DNA consists of the following:

·         The DNA will be the Permanent Secretary, MECDM.

·         The DNA Secretariat will be hosted by the Climate Change Division, MECDM, and

·         The National CDM Committee, an interdepartmental committee made up of senior officials from stakeholder ministries will provide support and direction to the DNA.

Permanent Secretary, MECDM as Designated National Authority

The Permanent Secretary, MECDM has been appointed as the DNA for Solomon Islands by authorization from the National CDM Committee as mandated by the Cabinet of Solomon Islands Government. The DNA is the person authorized by Solomon Islands to sign LOAs and LONs.

National CDM Committee

According to the authorization by the National CDM Committee as mandated by the Cabinet of Solomon Islands Government, the National CDM Committee is provided with the authority to issue binding recommendations to the DNA to issue LOA and LON upon request from project developers. The National CDM Committee is envisaged to meet regularly or on a case by case schedule, depending on the amount of requests received by the Climate Change Division, MECDM. The meetings of the National CDM Committee will follow the existing meeting procedure and will also accommodate the procedures for issuing LOA and LON. The National CDM Committee consists of the following members:

• Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock – Divisional Directors for Research, Planning , Livestock & Extension
• Ministry of Development Planning – Divisional Directors for Economic, Social, Aid Coordination & Planning & Budget
• Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification – Divisional Directors for Energy & Water Resources
• Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Employment – Divisional Directors for Industry and Foreign Investment Division
• Ministry of Forests & Research – Divisional Directors of Research & Re-forestation
• Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology – Divisional Directors for Climate Change (Chair), Environment & Disaster Management
• Ministry of Finance – Divisional Director of Financial Economic Development Unit
• Ministry of Lands, Housing & Survey – Divisional Director for Lands
• Attorney General Chambers

 In case any Divisional Director is unable to attend the meeting, a suitable representative (Deputy Director level) from the division can be appointed by the respective Divisional Director.

 In case a request for a LOA/LON is not supported by all members, the Committee reaches a decision based on simple majority by the attending members.

 DNA Secretariat in Climate Change Division, MECDM

 The DNA Secretariat is the body charged with the day-to-day management of the tasks of the DNA of Solomon Islands. The DNA Secretariat is incorporated in the Climate Change Division, MECDM. The DNA Secretariat is the official point of contact for external entities and individuals wishing to make contact to the DNA, i.e. in order to request a LOA or a LON. Any liaison with foreign buyers of carbon credits wishing to discuss matters of the operation of the DNA will also be requested to liaise with the DNA Secretariat, who will then act on behalf of the DNA or involve the DNA and/or the National CDM Committee as appropriate.

 The DNA Secretariat will prepare all necessary documents and undertake necessary preparatory work prior to National CDM Committee meetings, such as liaison with project proponents to undertake any clarification needed in order for the National CDM Committee to decide whether or not to recommend a LOA/LON to be issued by the DNA on the proposed CDM project.

Project Developer

In order to be registered by the CDM EB as a CDM project, the project developer must demonstrate and document beyond any reasonable doubt that the project will lead to lasting reductions in the emissions of greenhouse gasses that would not occur in the absence of the project. The documentation of this should take place by fulfilling a Project Design Document (PDD) for which mandatory standard templates are issued by the CDM EB. The PDD must prior to presentation for the CDM EB be verified by a designated operational entity (DOE), already authorized by the CDM EB to perform this verification (auditing). 

Key Feature & Objectives

Key features of the Solomon Islands DNA include:

• Establishing a national point of contact for cooperation with the international community on matters related to CDM, including the UN system for validation and registration of CDM projects and verification of emission reductions and issuance of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs)
• Issuance of Letter of No Objection (LON) for potential Solomon Islands CDM projects in order to facilitate contact to potential buyers of carbon credits.
• Issuance of Letter of Approval (LOA) for Solomon Islands CDM projects as a prerequisite for registration of the project by the CDM EB.
• To a limited extent the DNA will perform dissemination activities on CDM rules and procedures.
• The DNA is a government function fulfilled by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology. The administrative work will be undertaken by the DNA Secretariat within the Climate Change Division under MECDM, while the decision making process will be undertaken by the National CDM Committee.

Objectives of the Solomon Islands DNA include:

• To facilitate investments in projects which lead to reductions in the emissions of the greenhouse gases regulated by the KP, thereby mitigating climate change.
• To support transfer to Solomon Islands of low carbon technologies that would not be implemented in the absence of the financial contribution from the selling of CERs or carbon credits from the CDM project.
   

   

WELCOME TO SOLOMON ISLANDS DNA

Solomon Islands environment is globally significant but extremely vulnerable to climate change impacts. The country is part of the Pacific Rim of Fire, lies within the Pacific cyclone belt and is extremely vulnerable to extreme events and natural disasters. Solomon Islands are part of the Melanesian sub-region which will likely to be the most affected from sea level rise due to increasing temperatures and other climate change aspects. The impacts of climate-related events are expected to be felt right across the nation’s economic, social and environmental systems, thus making future changes in climate, including extreme events, an issue of great concern nationally.