Solomon Islands holds final National Steering Committee Meeting for MACBLUE Project
Participants during the writeshop for the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Policy
5 September 2025, Honiara, Solomon Islands - The final meeting of the National Steering Committee (NSC) for the Management and Conservation of Blue Carbon Ecosystems (MACBLUE) project in Solomon Islands has ended in the Solomon Islands.
Held on 29 July 2025 at the Heritage Park Hotel, Honiara, the gathering served as a platform to assess project progress, share updates, and prepare for the transition of MACBLUE data and outcomes to national stakeholders.
The meeting was held back-to-back with the Writeshop on the Solomon Islands Integrated Coastal Zone Management Policy, an initiative also supported by the MACBLUE project.
It was attended by more than 20 key stakeholders, including representatives from government ministries, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academic institutions, and regional organisations
In her opening address, Ms Agnetha Vave-Karamui, Chief Conservation Officer at the Environment and Conservation Division (ECD), Solomon Islands, thanked the implementing partners for their ongoing support and collaboration.
“Working together with global partners, implementing agencies, and donor partners, will
bridge the gap for Solomon Islands in seagrass and mangroves conservation, and climate adaptation and mitigation,” said Ms Vave-Karamui.
The MACBLUE project, implemented across Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, supports the protection, mapping, and valuation of blue carbon ecosystems, with a particular focus on mangroves and seagrasses.
The meeting featured detailed updates from the implementing partners on progress made in mapping the extent of mangrove and seagrass ecosystems using remote sensing technologies, conducting carbon stock assessments, strengthening institutional frameworks and supporting capacity building within local communities.
Members of the National Steering Committee at the Heritage Park Hotel
Some of the key presentations included the findings from the carbon stock assessments in Solomon Islands lead by Alluvium International, highlights on the Maramasike and Lau Lagoon Community Project, delivered by the Solomon Environmental Limited who has been commissioned by SPREP to implement the local management approach component of the project. An update on the status of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Mangrove Policy was presented by ECD. MACBLUE project is supporting the finalisation of this first ever national mangrove policy for Solomon Islands.
Ms Agnetha Vave-Karamui, Chief Conservation Officer at the Environment and Conservation Division (ECD), Solomon Islands
Turang Teuea, the MACBLUE Project Coordinator at SPREP, acknowledged the strong collaboration among stakeholders and reaffirmed SPREP’s ongoing commitment to supporting Solomon Islands’ coastal conservation efforts.
“SPREP has been proud to support the Solomon Islands in advancing evidence-based management of its blue carbon ecosystems, particularly in establishing the baseline data for blue carbon” said Ms Teuea.
“In line with the project’s regional approach, we’ve worked closely with national partners to ensure that the tools, data, and capacity built here contribute directly to Solomon Islands’ climate commitments, community resilience, and long-term ocean governance.”
The meeting concluded with a summary of lessons learned and key recommendations for sustaining momentum after the project's closure. A handover arrangement of MACBLUE data products including habitat maps, carbon assessments, and ecosystem service valuations was discussed, ensuring that national partners have access to critical information to guide future policy and action.
This article was originally published on the SPREP website.