Govt signs agreement with UNDP on financial assistance for long-term protection of environment

The Government of the Maldives has launched a strategic initiative to establish a sustainable financing mechanism aimed at supporting the long-term protection of the country’s natural environment and biodiversity.

As part of this effort, the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy signed key letters of agreements with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) last Wednesday. Environment Minister Ali Shareef signed the agreements on behalf of the Maldivian government.

Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the initiative is centered on three key areas: reviewing and updating the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), preparing the Seventh National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and developing a comprehensive Biodiversity Financing Plan.

According to the UNDP, the initiative will strengthen national systems for biodiversity planning, reporting, and financial management. The organization described the project as a significant step forward in the Maldives’ efforts to protect and sustainably manage its natural resources. The UNDP also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the government in developing the systems required to meet its international biodiversity obligations.

MoCCEE has signed Letters of Agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to begin the implementation of GEF-funded projects aimed at updating and revising the Maldives National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, preparing the 7th National Report to the… pic.twitter.com/4WBzaCK8B2

— Min. of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, MV (@MoEnvmv) September 30, 2026

Updating the NBSAP is considered essential to ensuring that national biodiversity priorities are aligned with the recently adopted Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which seeks to protect a significant proportion of the world’s terrestrial and marine ecosystems by 2030. Meanwhile, the Seventh National Report will provide the Maldives with an opportunity to present its progress and challenges in biodiversity conservation to the international community, fulfilling a key reporting obligation under environmental conventions.

The Biodiversity Financing Plan is intended to address the long-standing difficulty of securing reliable and sustainable funding for environmental conservation. For Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as the Maldives, mobilizing adequate financial resources remains a major challenge. The plan will identify mechanisms to attract international financing and private-sector investment to complement government funding.

As the Maldivian economy relies heavily on tourism and fisheries—industries that depend directly on healthy coral reefs and marine ecosystems—biodiversity conservation carries significant economic importance. Growing environmental threats, including climate-related coral bleaching, plastic pollution, and the effects of development projects, further highlight the need for strengthened conservation measures. The protection of biodiversity is closely connected to the country’s economic resilience and the livelihoods of its people.

Initiatives supported by international institutions such as the GEF play an important role in providing the technical expertise and financial resources needed to strengthen environmental protection efforts in the Maldives, building on a history of cooperation in this area.