Measures taken to protect the natural ecosystem of Maldives

31 December 2022

Maldives is a chain of over 1,200 coral islands. These islands are surrounded by white sandy beaches and a crystal-clear ocean with a rich aquatic ecosystem, making Maldives one of the best tourism hot spots in the world. This led to tourism being one of the main sources of income for the country. The dependency on tourism prompted Maldives to adopt laws and regulations to protect their environment. Maldives became signatory to numerous international conventions in order to preserve the natural ecosystem of the country. In this article, we will be looking into some of these laws, regulations, and treaties.

Laws

Environment Protection and Preservation Act (law no. 4/93)

The Environment Protection and Preservation Act (law no. 4/93) was ratified on April 19, 1993.

This Act mandates government organizations to identify areas and natural reserves that need to be protected and conserved. This Act also empowers the relevant authorities to penalize any person who breaches the Act. Moreover, under the Act, it is mandatory to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment before carrying out any projects that could affect the environment.

The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology is responsible for implementing the acts, regulations, and projects related to the provision of a clean and healthy environment free from pollution, the protection of the islands from coastal erosion, the advocacy for the rights of small island states in the fight against climate change, mobilizing finance to adapt to and mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, coordinating sustainable development goals within the government, and the protection and preservation of the natural environment.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is one of the government agencies affiliated with and functioning under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology.

Climate Emergency Act (law no. 9/2021)

On May 18, 2021, the Climate Emergency Act (law no. 9/2021) was ratified to fight against global warming. Under this act, Maldives targets becoming a fully carbon-neutral country by the year 2030. Maldives plans to achieve this goal by implementing changes to current practices, monitoring their progress, and raising awareness on these issues.

Plants Protection Act (law no. 12/2011)

Another statute passed to protect the environment is the Plants Protection Act (law no. 12/2011). The purpose of this Act is to:

Develop phytosanitary procedures (measure and control of plant diseases in agricultural crops).
To prevent and stop the manufacture and distribution of products that would harm the plants.
To facilitate business opportunities to sell plants and plant-based products.
To regulate pest control in plants.
Set guidelines on importing plants to Maldives.

Waste Management Act (law no. 24/2022)

Recently, on December 18th, 2022, the Waste Management Act (law no. 24/2022) was passed to tackle waste pollution in the country. The Act highlighted the importance of establishing a safe waste disposal mechanism on every island.

Regulations

Regulation for Protection and Preservation of Island Vegetation and Flora in the Maldives (no. 2022/R-92)

The main objective of this regulation is to protect the palm trees, which are being cut for commercial purposes in Maldives. Palm trees are the national tree of the Maldives and are cut down from local islands and sold to newly developing resort islands at a high price to make the resorts greener. The cutting of palm trees damages the natural flora of the local islands and their natural ecosystems. Under this regulation, palm trees cannot be uprooted and sold unless there is a valid reason. Moreover, under this regulation, trees that have been growing for many years are protected from being cut as they function as a carbon sink and help reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Protected Areas Regulation (no. 2018/R-78)

The objective of the Protected Areas Regulation (no. 2018/R-78) is to (a) to establish effective guidelines for declaration and management of protected areas; (b) to ensure that the process of protected area declaration is consultative transparent; (c) to enlist environmentally significant areas in the Maldives; (d) to establish and sustainably a mechanism to maintain a framework for protected areas; (e) to enhance awareness and participation of community in protected area designation and management; (f) to ensure that the future generations benefit from natural resources, ecosystem services and biodiversity richness of the country.

Regulation for the protection of Endangered Species (no. 2021/R-25)

The objectives of the Regulation for the Protection of Endangered Species (no. 2021/R-25) are to preserve and maintain the health of the species, their environments, and interconnected systems in a sustainable manner; establish procedures for the identification and management of endangered species and ensure that the process is consultative and transparent; identify environmentally endangered species and their habitat, conserve and protect endangered species around the world; support efforts to preserve their breeds at a national level; and etc.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

In 1965, after becoming part of the United Nations, the Maldives signed major international conventions that call for the protection of the environment. One such convention is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Convention’s signatories are to promote sustainable development while recognizing that development is required for implementing climate change mitigation measures and to promote a supportive and open international economic system that leads to sustainable economic growth and development, particularly in developing countries.

Conclusion

Protecting the natural ecosystem of Maldives is essential through the implementation of laws, regulations, and international treaties. It is the responsibility of all government organizations, city councils, non-governmental organizations, and locals to work together to further this cause.

Environment Protection and Preservation Act (law no. 4/93)
Climate Emergency Act (law no. 9/2021)
Plants Protection Act (law no. 12/2011)
Waste Management Act (law no. 24/2022)
Regulation for Protection and preservation of island vegetation and flora in the Maldives (no. 2022/R-92)
Protected Areas Regulation (no. 2018/R-78).
Regulation for the Protection of Endangered Species (no. 2021/R-25).
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).