Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim has emphasised that the Maldives can only fully benefit from its natural environment if it is protected and managed sustainably. He made the statement at the launch of a programme aimed at training local councils to formulate management plans for protected marine areas.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Minister Thoriq highlighted that 89% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Maldives is tied to its natural environment, with tourism and fisheries being key sectors. He also stressed that the prosperity of these sectors is dependent on the proper management of natural resources and protected environments.
Additionally, Minister Thoriq said that the goal of the training programme is to ensure collaboration between the ministry, local councils, and the public in managing protected areas. He referred to the Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to designate 30% of the world's areas as protected by 2030, and said that the Maldives is committed to protecting significant areas under the framework.
Currently, only five of the protected areas in the Maldives, representing 2%, are well-maintained, while 91 areas are not adequately managed. To address the issue, two training programmes will be conducted in different regions of the Maldives to help councils develop management plans for these areas.
The councils are being trained under the Ocean Country Partnership Programme of the United Kingdom (UK), funded by the British government. It is the first training programme focused on managing protected marine areas.
The environment ministry announced that council office employees from islands near the 91 protected areas are participating in the programme. As such, plans will be developed for three areas that currently lack management plans. The training lasts for one day, and a second session will be held in the southern atolls of the Maldives later this year.