Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Aminath Shauna has stated greater global cooperation is needed to establish a system that is effective, science-based, and legally enforced to better manage global fish stocks for the sake of ocean health. In her statement at the Commonwealth's event to mark World Oceans Day, Minister Shauna said sustainable practices cannot only be employed in one place but throughout a whole migratory path.
The minister said the Commonwealth Blue Charter, for a country like the Maldives, ensures an equitable approach to ocean economic development and protection by ensuring active cooperation from member states to meet essential commitments for sustainable ocean development. The Maldives is made up of 99% water and that although all states are dependent on the ocean, the livelihoods of Maldivians are closely connected to the ocean tourism industry and that the Maldives economic sector is dependent on the health of its seas, she said highlighting Maldivian atolls are the largest reefs systems in the world and act as protective barriers for the low-lying islands. She added the country's waters and reefs are home to rich marine life that also provides Maldivians with food.
Furthermore, Minister Shauna said President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has ratified the Climate Emergency Act which compromises a framework towards achieving net-zero carbon emission by 2030, in response to climate change heating the oceans and killing the coral reefs. She also said the Maldives has also joined 70 nations in a collaborative effort to protect 30% of the oceans by 2030 and that the country is committed to phasing out single-use plastics by 2023.
She concluded by expressing hope that the commitment of the Maldives to reducing carbon emissions, ocean protection, sustainable fisheries, and on plastic pollution will encourage other countries to do the same.