Each year in November, we devote our Outreach Project to The Province of Queensland Archbishop’s November Appeal. This year, the appeal supports the Solomon Islands Climate Change and Disaster Management Project of the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM), which helps to build local community strengths to prepare for disasters, increase their food security and address the adverse impacts of climate change. Over a quarter of the population identifies with this well-established church, making their reach extensive throughout the country.

The Solomon Islands are a beautiful archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, to the east of Papua New Guinea. For the 600,000 people who call the Solomon Islands home there are many challenges. Climate change is having a tangible impact on the natural environment, increasing the frequency of severe cyclones and strong storm surges. Rising sea levels have already claimed six of the islands, forcing inhabitants to abandon their homes and seek refuge on neighbouring lands. With 5,313 km of coastline across the archipelago, this phenomenon appears an ever-present risk for the majority of Solomon Islanders.

Moreover, with growing strain on livelihoods from depleted fish stocks, deforestation, and the salinization of arable land, two thirds of the population live in conditions of vulnerable employment.

Supported by Anglicans in Development (AID), the Solomon Islands Climate Change and Disaster Management project is planned for implementation in five dioceses of ACOM: Central Melanesia, Guadalcanal, Hanuato’o, Ysabel, and Central Solomons. Implementing the project brings significant challenges, including post-COVID-19 changes to inter-island travel, and Climate change which makes weather patterns less predictable, playing havoc with training schedules.

Despite these and other challenges, communities and schools have made a strong commitment to work together with ACOM on this project.

Among the achievements of the project to date are work on Coastal Protection to reduce erosion due to sea-level rise and high swells; and two water tanks supplied to St Stephen’s Anglican College in Pamua. These tanks serve three nearby communities, as well as the 500-strong college community, and a Rural Training Centre.

Food security demonstrations at St Nicholas School Farm have greatly improved the learning of senior agriculture students at this school and at Norman Palmer Community High School. AID has also provided tools, equipment and other agricultural requirements to the School Farm, which serves more than 150 agriculture students, both female and male.

Further, ACOM has been networking and sharing lessons learnt on Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change with officers from the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office and the Solomon Islands Climate Action Network.

In 2023, this project aims to benefit almost 8,000 Solomon Islanders by providing sea walls and buffer zones to protect coastal villages from sea level rises and coastal erosion, Climate change awareness and disaster preparedness training in communities, demonstration gardens for urban families, and assistance with marketing opportunities for farmers. The total cost of the project is $16,000.

Our donations to this Archbishop’s November Appeal will make Solomon Island communities more resilient, able to prepare for disasters, increase food security and address the adverse impacts of Climate change.

Can we give $1,000 towards that goal, to address climate change and build communities more resilient in the face of increasingly frequent weather disasters?