Country Comments

The Solomon Islands is a nation of hundreds of Islands located in the South Pacific. The Convention on Biological Diversity reports the country has been recognized as a “Centre of Plant Diversity”, counting 4,500 species of plants, 3,200 of which are known to be native (indigenous). The main threats that continue to endanger the country’s biodiversity are logging, inappropriate land use practices, mining and prospecting, over-exploitation of natural resources, population growth, invasive species, pollution and climate change. Industrial logging and development of large-scale monoculture agricultural plantations of oil palm, coconut and cocoa, and the clearance of land for subsistence gardens, are the major activities directly threatening biodiversity on land. Threats such as high population growth (both within and outside the country) directly related to the high demands for and consumption of biodiversity resources, can also be regarded as a driver. (1)

The population growth in the country is growing at an alarming pace where for the past decade the total fertility rate per woman has been just below 4 ½ children.

As of February 2021 the UN reported women of reproductive age (15-49 years) often face barriers with respect to their sexual and reproductive health and rights, despite some progress. Gender equality is still a challenge as evidenced in Parliament with only 8% of seats held by women. (2)

Although the population level is currently sustainable, unless the country recognizes the growing numbers of people are a threat to both human, plant and animal well being, more resources will be depleted, more damage will happen to the country’s environment and the long term sustainability of The Solomon Islands will erode.

(1) https://www.cbd.int/countries/profile/?country=sb

(2) https://data.unwomen.org/country/solomon-islands