The formulation of the National Waste Management and Pollution Control Strategy (NWMPCS) 2017 –2026 is part of the ongoing efforts of Solomon Islands to address the issue of waste and pollution as the country enters a period of rapid social and economic change. The national level initiatives to address waste since independence can be best described as mostly uncoordinated and piecemeal, with the basic responsibility resting on town councils and respective provincial stations and individual local communities. The Environment Act 1998 provided the first legal platform for a broader environment and sustainable development approach, further strengthened by the establishment of the Environment and Conversation Division (ECD) as the lead government agency for environment management.
Managing waste and controlling pollution for Solomon Islands will require national effort that includes high-level political leadership, effective policy and legal frameworks, development of appropriate institutional capacity and changing attitudes starting at individual to community, provincial and national level. The approach needs to be done within the Solomon Islands context where interconnectivity between different ecosystems from the upland forests to the coastal environment, rivers, lagoons and ocean is a reality. This ecosystem connectivity is intricately linked to the livelihood of the majority of the country’s population whose daily subsistence continues to be dependent on their natural environment and resources.