Disaster financing project piloted in Solomon Islands

by RUCI VAKAMINO

SOLOMON Islands is piloting a project that links weather prediction models to disaster risk management.

It is called Forecast-based Financing (Fbf) and is being developed through a roadmap exercise that involves the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre.

The Centre’s senior climate advisor, Olivia Warrick, said Fbf simply aims to ensure finance is made available before a disaster strikes.

“What we see is that a lot of disaster financing or disaster money is available after disasters happen,” he said.

“There’s a lot of money available for development work, but there is very little money generally available for immediate disaster preparedness right before a disaster happens so as to help communities to take action to minimise the possible impact of the disaster when it does happens.”

Warrick said the FbF model uses climate prediction forecasts that are provided by the National Meteorological Services.

“For example, if the forecast is of a heavy rain event, a drought or a flood, based on this forecast, money can be released to support communities to undertake actions to help them to minimise the impact of that expected disaster,” he explained.

Acting director of the Solomon Islands Meteorological Services (SIMS) Llyod Tahani said the Red Cross plays an important role in the community.

“Where SIMS cannot attend to, Red Cross is in the frontline at the community level to deliver information that is very important for early preparations,” he said.

“Early actions to reduce impacts of disaster is very important and that is the objective of the activities that we work together in.”

Other partners include the Solomon Islands Meteorological Services, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program, the National Disaster Management Office, the Solomon Islands Red Cross, key sector ministries and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

Solomon Islands Red Cross’ disaster management officer Cameron Vundi said their partnership with SIMS helped them to connect the MET services with the communities.

“We work closely with the MET Service in establishing early-warning systems for communities under the FbF project,” he said.