Waste management, especially management of plastic waste has become a huge problem for the Maldives. With islands scattered across 820 km from North to South, the logistics for transportation of waste and the lack of local recycling have been the biggest hurdle for management of plastics in the Maldives Plastic remain in the natural environment for hundreds of years and are finding their way into our oceans and beaches . Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture and Parley have been working together to address the issue of ocean plastics in the Maldives. One of the key goals of the commitment ...[more]

1. Provide all citizens with access to reliable & sustainable energy services at lowest possible cost. 2. Achieve carbon neutrality in the energy sector by year 2020. 3. Promote energy conservation and energy efficiency. 4. Increase national energy security. 5. Promote renewable energy technologies. 6. Strengthen the institutional and legal framework of the energy sector

South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) is an inter-governmental Organization, established in 1982 by Governments of the eight South Asian countries to promote and support protection, management and enhancement of the environment in the region. Countries, namely; Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have ratified the articles of Association of SACEP. It is also registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations as Multilateral Organization in accordance with under the Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations. SACEP has its hea...[more]

The best opportunity to slow the rate of near-term warming globally and in sensitive regions such as the Arctic is by cutting emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) – most notably methane, black carbon and some hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Widespread reductions, which complement the need for aggressive global action on carbon dioxide, contribute significantly to the goal of limiting warming to less than two degrees. Reducing SLCPs can also advance national priorities such as protecting air quality and public health, promoting food security, enhancing energy efficiency, and allevi...[more]

Maldives officially became a contracting party of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission on 13 July 2011, even though Maldives have been previously unofficially participating in the processes of the RFMO by providing data and other necessary information for the management of tuna resources in the Indian Ocean. Since Maldives became a full member of IOTC, it has been at the forefront sustainability agenda in IOTC. So far, Maldives have submitted resolutions on the inclusion of precautionary approach, interim and target reference points for the management of stocks and harvest control rules for s...[more]

AFPPD in partnership with IPPF and Pacific Parliaments has trialled a post election module in Building Capacity of Pacific Island Parliamentarians to Advocate for ICPD and SRHR in Tonga and Cook Islands Parliaments. We also provide opportunities to build advocacy and knowledge skills of parliamentarians, including processes to enable them to work with CSOs. This partnership is effective in enhancing social protection and inclusion, improving well being, and guaranteeing opportunities for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, by focusing parliamentarians on their roles within their national pa...[more]

The government of Maldives aims at increasing the science based knowledge of the coral reef ecosystems for informed decision making and for sustainable development. In this regard, it is important to understand the current status of the biodiversity of the country, not just on scientific terms, but also on economic and accounting terms. Hence, the Maldives is aiming to establish Natural Capital Accounts of its vast coral reef ecosystems and establish a natural history museum/ institute that will serve for the in-situ and ex-situ conservation and for the research and education. This will b...[more]

A couple of years since the start of the sea cucumber fishery in the Maldives in mid-1980s, the fishery experienced a drastic decline. A fishery that exclusively targeted high-valued sea cucumber species changed quickly to include mid- and lower-valued varieties. The export-oriented sea cucumber trade generates close to USD 1 million annually. The fishery is usually carried out as a small-scale operation in rural island communities. The Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, with assistance from the International Fund for Agricultural Development launched the Mariculture Enterprise Develo...[more]

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Indian Ocean is one of the major obstacle to the long-term sustainable management of tuna fisheries in the Maldives. It predominantly occurrs in the form of poaching at EEZ boundary line where IUU vessels speciously operating at proximate high sea. Given the highly migratory and straddling nature of tuna and tuna like fish stocks in the Indian Ocean, the need for a of coordinated effort at the global and regional level aiming at effective combat against IUU fishing is well recognized. Being on the receiving end of the social and e...[more]

Cabo Verde, Comoros, Maldives, Mauritius, São Tomé & Príncipe and Seychelles may seem like they have little in common, but as small islands, they face very similar challenges. The countries − located in the Atlantic and Indian oceans − all share problems relating to the scarcity and contamination of freshwater supplies; lack of solid waste management facilities, over-exploitation and poor management of groundwater resources; increasing pressure on agricultural production; and disappearing biodiversity. Therefore, the Global Environment Facility has funded a full-sized project to...[more]

The Maldives has a high level of plastic bag consumption and plastic pollution of the marine environment. Import data show that in 2016 alone, the country had imported almost 40 million plastic bags. The current import levels of plastic bags result in high levels of littering and in an inefficient use of resources; and with over 99% of the country comprising of seas, plastic pollution poses an easy threat to the environment. Apart from the threats of plastic pollution; such as marine life mortality, fisheries and coastal area degradation and decreased beach value with subsequent negative i...[more]

IRENA has developed the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative to support the strategic deployment of renewable energy in SIDS, to bring clarity to policy makers regarding the required steps, and to enable targeted action. As a joint effort of SIDS and development partners, this framework for action will assist in transforming SIDS energy systems through the establishment of the enabling conditions for a renewable energy-based future, by moving away from developing projects in isolation to a holistic approach that considers all relevant elements spanning from policy and market frameworks, through technol...[more]

Objectives: to progressively practice and implement 3R and resource efficiency measures, but not limited to, in all aspects of Maldives tourism and related business operations to protect the precious marine environment and ecosystem towards the better health, economy and social well-being of the people of the Republic of Maldives. Implementation methodologies: 1. Develop and strengthen internal management system and policies towards efficient use of resources, water and energy and promote usage of all forms of renewable energy, including waste to energy in order to achieve waste preventi...[more]

The three major tuna fisheries rely on the utilization of bait. The pole-and-line fishery for skipjack tuna and the hand-lining for yellowfin tuna use various types of live baits while the long-lining for large yellowfin tuna relies on frozen bait. An annual total of 68,000 tons of tuna are caught from the pole-and-line fishery using an estimated 6,800 tons of live bait caught from reef associated lagoons. In recent years, local tuna fishermen have been experiencing a general, usually seasonal, shortage in bait availability impacting their fishery. Fishermen reportedly have to travel long...[more]

To promote marine scientific cooperation with relevant government departments of small island developing countries and other state holders in the fields of marine environment and biodiversity protection, marine disaster prevention and mitigation, blue economy and other fields of common interests; To promote the sustainable development of Small Island Developing States by providing personnel training, technical assistant etc.

Maldives, in 2006, adopted its National Action Plan for Adaptation and a zero emissions plan; target of carbon neutrality by 2020. Source: This is the first National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) for the Maldives relating to the adaptation to adverse effects of climate change. Maldives is among the most vulnerable to climate change and non-action is not an option. Assessing the magnitude of climate hazards to Maldives has already begun. Although it is not possible to accurately predict climate change and its adverse effects at the local level, the first Climate Risk Profile (MEEW 200...[more]

The development of the Maldives National Sustainable Development strategy builds on the 7th National Development Plan (NDP), the 3rd Environmental Assessment and Vision 2020, especially in the wake of recovery efforts after the 2004 Tsunami. Source: UNEP Environment Assessment for Regional Resource Center in Asia and the Pacific In Maldives, there are 34 sustainable developement challenges including high population growth, harmonized tourism development and equiatable distribution of health services. The draft Maldives National Sustainable Developement Strategy defines the vision for sustaina...[more]

Objectives: Prevention of pollution from waste mismanagement and handling. Implementation methodologies: development of community based waste management system in all inhabited islands. The system includes a proper waste separation and storage facility, small scale recycling and necessary equipment for baling and crushing. Composting is a major component in the system so that use of chemical fertilizer for farming and gardening will be reduced. Besides the community based waste management system, the Government is also creating regional waste management facilities that enables to further t...[more]

International NGO Peace Boat offers our current ship, the Ocean Dream, as an around-the-world venue for advocacy action on the challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS), as it sails the world on our educational and advocacy voyages. In the future, we will offer our new vessel, the Ecoship, for AOSIS/SIDS-related activities and events. Planned to sail in 2020, the 2000 passenger capacity Ecoship combines radical energy efficiency measures and the use of renewable energy at an unprecedented level in maritime transport. It will be a flagship for climate action and for promoting th...[more]

The Maldivian archipelago, comprised of approximately 1,200 islands surrounded by coral reefs, serves as an important habitat for a number of marine flora and fauna. The ocean has always been an integral part of the Maldives and its people. Both fisheries and tourism sectors, two main pillars of the countrys economy, rely heavily on utilizing marine resources. Coral reefs are the physical basis and the predominant ecosystem of the Maldives. Healthy coral reefs are fundamental for the sustainable development of the Maldives in terms of food security, island protection and a range of other im...[more]