Problems & Threats to the Environment
Legislation
Legislation exists at national and provincial levels to protect and manage the marine and terrestrial environments of Solomon Islands. In addition, Solomon Islands is signatory to a number of international conventions that provide a framework for national policies. However, practices outlined in statutes and ordinances are not always applied or enforced. Extraction companies are rarely called to account for breaches of the law.
In 1893, Solomon Islands was brought under British common law as a British Protectorate, and since independence in 1978, the British legal system and concepts continue to underpin current constitutional law. Traditional kastom rights may still be claimed over the land and foreshore (although not over the open sea), but claimants must be able to define the area, prove 'uninterrupted use' of 'reasonable' rights since time immemorial, and demonstrate that the kastom rights do not contravene constitutional law. Constitutional law takes precedence over kastom law, and may be used to eclipse customary rights.
Information & Human Resources
- Information: inadequate scientific data and other information exist to make informed environmental management decisions. Data that does exist is scattered amongst various government and non-government organisations, and utilizes several different formats making comparative analysis difficult.
- Human resources: a lack of skilled conservation leaders and practitioners has had a significant impact on the design, implementation and sustainability of conservation initiatives within Solomon Islands.