Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology has signed a research agreement with an Italian university to conduct a study on protected areas of the Maldives.
The research agreement was signed with the University of Milano-Biccoca. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the United Nations (UN) Ocean Conference underway in Lisbon, Portugal.
The environment ministry stated the agreement is on cooperation and coordination to undertake the ecological and socio-economic assessments of protected areas in the Maldives. The ministry said these surveys are mainly focused on central atolls of the Maldives, namely Meemu, Faaafu, Dhaalu and Thaa Atoll.
The environment ministry stated the project aims to contribute to the overall informed decision towards, conserve and protect key biodiversity areas in these atolls through designation of protected areas. The ministry added the project would facilitate technical assistance and in-kind support, to develop ecological survey reports.