The Climate Change Policy Framework was released by the Ministry of Environment and Energy to provide Maldives with a strategic vision of policies necessary to tackle climate change impacts on the short, medium and long terms. The principles guiding the document are climate leadership, intergenerational equitability, mainstreaming climate change policies, international commitments and partnerships, transfer of technology and climate resilience.<br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;The five main policy goals are to scale up the financial resources, the use of climate friendly technology and the capacity to adapt and mitigate climate change and integrate climate change into sector and/or thematic policies, plans and budgetary processes to build a low carbon development and climate resilient development in the Maldives.

The Maldives SNAP aims to build resilience of the nation and the island communities to disasters. In line with the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), the Maldives government adopted future outlook statements that are summarized in its 2008 HFA Monitor.

In more concrete terms, the SNAP process will provide a means for the Maldives to identify a consolidated set of programs/projects that can be undertaken with the Government budget and those that may be considered for donor assistance and the Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP)/ Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS). It is harmonized with the policies and plans of the government as well as its decentralization strategy.

The SANP presents a general context fo the country and climate change, to then present a Strategic National Agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, and finally challenges for implementation.

<div>Published by the Maldives government in conjunction with UNEP, the National Strategy for Sustainable Development identifies several goals relating to climate change. These are (with relevant targets listed below):</div><ul><li>&nbsp;Adapt to climate change (goal 1)<ul><li>&nbsp;Build coastal defences for Malé International Airport and Gan International Airport</li><li>&nbsp;Develop coastal defences around 10 selected islands</li><li>&nbsp;Train 40 coastal engineers</li></ul></li><li>Achieve carbon neutrality in energy (goal 3)<ul><li>&nbsp;Become carbon neutral in the energy sector by 2020</li><li>&nbsp;Ensure 50% of the electricity is from renewable sources by 2015</li><li>&nbsp;Achieve a 50% reduction by 2015 in energy sector GHG emissions compared to 2000 levels</li><li>&nbsp;Reach a saving of 7.5% of final energy consumption over 10 years until 2020 through efficiency</li></ul></li><li>Establish a carbon neutral transport system (goal 5)<ul><li>&nbsp;Reduce CO2 emissions from light vehicles - the average car fleet should achieve CO2 emissions of 140g/km by 2015</li><li>&nbsp;By 2015 not less than 10% of transport fuel should consist of biofuels, as an indicative target, considering raising their proportion to 20% by 2020</li></ul></li></ul>

Published by the Ministry of Housing and Environment, the National Energy Policy &amp; Strategy provides a framework for energy policy. It specifies that the lead agency for the energy sector is the Climate Change and Energy Department within the Ministry of Housing and Environment and has one of its key policies that the country will achieve carbon neutrality in the energy sector by 2020.&nbsp;<br><br>Strategies to achieve this goal are:</div><ul><li>Develop and implement plans to include forecasts of energy usage by different sources, GHG emissions and status of carbon neutrality</li><li>Establish and monitor energy targets to achieve carbon neutrality</li><li>Promote carbon capture and storage through R&amp;D</li><li>Ensure energy sector compliance with safety and environmental standards</li><li>Establish an environmental division in every energy sector utility to ensure compliance with regulations made under 1993 Environmental Protection and Preservation Act</li></ul><div>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;Other policies include promoting energy conservation and energy efficiency, increase national energy security (through, for example, promoting indigenous renewable energy to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels), promoting renewable energy technologies, and strengthening the institutional and legal framework of the energy sector.

The regulation sets the standards for the protection and conservation of environment in the tourism industry.&nbsp;<br><br>The purpose of the regulation is to protect the environment from the tourism industry and to encourage and facilitate sustainable development of tourism.&nbsp;<br><br>The regulation establishes the following aims : 1) protection of environment during construction; 2) protection of protected species; 3) planting of trees, use of fertilizers and keeping lives species; 3) ensure waste and water management.&nbsp;

<p>According to Maldives' presidential office, this acts sets actions to address the climate emergency and defines the legal structure and guidelines for climate policy. These notably cover reporting, ensuring the sustainability of natural resources, overcoming negative impacts, and allocation of funds for renewable energy sources. The Act further includes the complete framework for Maldives' ambitious plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. It also specifies the Minister to constitute an office under the Ministry as 'Climate Change Directorate', mandated with leading Maldives' interests in the international arena with regards to the climate emergency. Through this document, the President is obligated to appoint a Special Envoy for Climate Change, to serve as Maldives' international advocate against climate change.</p>

This Act amends the Environmental Levy Act 2015 in the Long Title and in various provisions, concerning, among other things, introduction of the Environment and Climate Adaptation Levy, which replaces the previous Environment Levy, the rate of levy and payment of the levy. This Act also establishes the Environment and Climate Adaptation Fund and defines its purposes. The purposes of the Fund are to: (a) promote conservation of the forests, flora, fauna, wildlife, ecosystems and biodiversity of Fiji; (b) provide funding to assist programmes, projects and activities associated with climate change, including climate change mitigation and adaptation activities; and (c) engage in any environment or climate change related activity approved by the Minister.

This short Act provides the basis for the powers of the Ministry of Planning, Human Resources and Environment to enact any regulations necessary for environmental protection. While the Act does not specify climate change it does provide the government with the ability to terminate any projects that are deemed to have an undesirable impact on the environment.

The Disaster Management Act creates the National Disaster Management Council, and National Disaster Management Authority. It establishes the composition of these two entities and defines their functions. It also classifies disaster types and regulates the declaration of state of emergency.

Maldives First NDC (Updated submission), Nationally Determined Contribution from Maldives in 2020

Maldives. National Communication (NC). NC 2., National Communication from Maldives in 2018

Maldives First NDC (Archived), Nationally Determined Contribution from Maldives in 2016

Environmental Protection and Preservation Act of the Maldives

Main documents

Timeline

Note

Feedback

Cookies and your privacy