In a significant move to bolster environmental conservation efforts, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that USD 454,000 will be allocated annually from the Maldives Green Fund to support environmental protection and conservation initiatives across the archipelago.
Delivering his address on the occasion of World Environment Day, President Muizzu extended warm greetings to all Maldivians, emphasising that the day serves as a vital reminder to remain mindful of the environment and to renew collective efforts to protect it for future generations.
According to the President, one of the greatest challenges in addressing climate change has been the lack of adequate financial resources, acknowledging the persistent funding gaps that have hindered environmental protection efforts. He noted that the annual USD 454,000 allocation from the Green Fund will be provided in addition to the budget already allocated to the environment sector, further reinforcing the government's commitment to environmental stewardship.
The funding will support a comprehensive range of programmes, including the management of protected areas and their wildlife, conservation initiatives, environmental research, public awareness programmes, technical capacity-building efforts, and environmental projects undertaken by civil society organisations and schools. The President expressed confidence that the allocation would strengthen environmental protection efforts and facilitate the development and implementation of long-term projects crucial to the nation's ecological sustainability.
This year's World Environment Day carries the theme "A Global Call for Climate Action," which President Muizzu described as particularly relevant to Small Island Developing States such as the Maldives, which remain on the front lines of climate change impacts.