Solomon Islands, like other Pacific Island countries, is bearing the brunt of climate change, which has been accelerated by the exploitation of natural resources. With support from USAID, since the beginning of May 2022, NDI has supported 25 young civic leaders throughout Solomon Islands as they respond to key environmental issues in their local communities through projects that assess legislation, public policy, and local practices in sectors related to climate change and natural resource management. Following a rigorous training course on political process monitoring and advocacy strategies led by NDI, these “Youth Advocates for Integrity,” representing nearly every province in Solomon Islands, worked individually or in teams to design their own initiatives to monitor policy implementation and raise awareness in their local communities for issues related to natural resource management and environmental protection. 

From May to October 2022, the activists consulted experts and affected individuals to better understand community issues such as improper sanitation, logging, waste management, the accessibility of natural disaster protection services for people with disabilities, and the over-harvesting of marine resources. Using data collection and analysis skills learned through the program, the participants conducted qualitative assessments using community surveys, key informant interviews, group discussions, community dialogues, document reviews, and direct observation. 

This publication is a compilation of the policy briefs developed by the activists at the culmination of their projects. It includes an overview of the monitoring methodology, key findings on community issues and recommendations to promote better governance of the environmental sector.