Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Aminath Shauna has stated that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is operating independently and free from political influence.
Responding to questions at the Parliament, Minister Shauna provided information on the administration’s work to reform EPA. She noted that calls to reform EPA escalated in 2015 after the Ministry of Tourism was given the power to conduct and approve environmental impact assessments (EIA) and that the current administration implemented amendments to empower the agency after taking office.
Additionally, Minister Shauna highlighted that large and environmentally vulnerable countries such as the United Kingdom (UK), Singapore, and the United States (US) have mechanisms for their governments to regulate work that impacts the environment. As such, she warned of the consequences of the government failing to oversee environmental preservation efforts in the Maldives.
Furthermore, Minister Shauna assured that EPA is now free from political influence and operating independently in accordance with the administration’s policies. She said that the efforts of the government and EPA to protect and preserve the environment are yielding positive results.