UNDP and govt sign project to increase resilience of tourism sector to climate change

The United Nations Development Programme and the Ministryof Tourism, Arts and Culture have signed a project amounting to US $ 3.3 million today,to help the tourism sector adapt and prepare for the negative effects of climate change.

The project, ‘Increasing Climate Change Resilience of Maldives through Adaptation inthe Tourism Sector’ aims to serve as a model of innovative climate change adaptationmeasures in the tourism sector in the country.

This project, supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), will provide thetourism sector with the required policy and regulatory support and technical skillsand knowledge. It also aims to strengthen the capacity of the ministry and tourismbusinesses. The project will establish at least 10 new investment projects to modifyoperational infrastructure to increase resilience to the impact of climate change. Itwill implement 10 community-based adaptation projects between tourism-associatedcommunities and operators. The project will also work to assess the feasibility of market-based risk financing mechanisms (such as weather index-insurance) and ensure thattangible private-sector investments can be leveraged.

“The reliance of Maldives on tourism, combined with its vulnerability to climate change,suggests that both adaptation and investment in renewable energy are absolutely crucialfor both the tourism industry and the Government,” said Andrew Cox, UNDP ResidentRepresentative. “This project mobilizes real solutions to these challenges in partnershipwith the industry, and I hope the successes coming from this project will be replicatedacross the Maldives.”

The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr. MariyamZulfa, stated that, “Maldives hasrisen to the top among the world’s most exclusive destinations due in no small part to thecompetitive position derived from its unique natural island environment and surroundingunderwater beauty. Climate change threatens to destroy this beautiful environment andalong with it, the livelihoods of many Maldivians. This project aims to address ways inwhich the Maldives and especially its tourism industry can minimize its vulnerability toclimate change”.

‘Increasing Climate Change Resilience of Maldives through Adaptation in the TourismSector’ is part of a UNDP-led initiative under its Environment, Energy and DisasterRisk Management programme in the Maldives. This project will contribute to thegovernment’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2020, and will support theintegration of adjustment measures which need to be implemented in response toclimatic changes into development policies, plans, programs, projects and actions. Theobjective of the project is to increase adaptive capacity of the tourism sector in Maldivesto respond to the impact of climate change and invest in appropriate, adaptationmeasures that make sense in development terms, whether or not a specific climate threat actually materializes in the future. The main indicator of project success will bethe tourism sector being prepared to address climate change risks, resulting in tangibleprivate-sector investments in adaptation, environmental management and risk financingmeasures.

The official signing ceremony was held at the UN Building, at an event attended by theUNDP Resident Representative, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MTAC),representatives from MTAC and the Ministry of Housing and Environment.