The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy (MCCEE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS) and the Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) to improve data collection processes for Greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting. This collaboration aims to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of energy data collection in the Maldives, supporting the country’s efforts to meet climate transparency requirements under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.
This MOU is part of the Capacity Strengthening for Improved Transparency of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Actions in the Maldives (CBIT Maldives) Project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) with implementation assistance from the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment).
The MOU was signed by Minister of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy, Thoriq Ibrahim, on behalf of MCCEE and the Utility Regulatory Authority, and Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed, Minister of Housing, Land, and Urban Development, on behalf of the Maldives Bureau of Statistics.
The signing ceremony was attended by Special Envoy for Climate Change Ali Shareef; Hussain Ageel Naseer, Deputy Minister of MCCEE; Ajwad Musthafa, Permanent Secretary of MCCEE; Zeeniya Ahmed Hameed, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Development; Aishath Hassan, Chief Statistician of the Maldives Bureau of Statistics; and Muawiyath Shareef, Deputy Director General of the Utility Regulatory Authority, along with senior officials from MCCEE, MBS, and URA.
Speaking at the signing, Minister Thoriq Ibrahim emphasized the importance of robust data for climate action, stating that this MOU represents a significant step toward building a transparent and accountable reporting framework in line with the Enhanced Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement.
Under the MOU, MCCEE, MBS, and URA will work together to enhance the existing tourism statistics survey conducted by MBS, incorporating essential energy data from resorts across the Maldives. The Ministry will provide technical assistance to update the tourism statistics survey form and support the implementation of the updated survey. This improvement will streamline data collection processes, reduce redundancies, and ensure that accurate energy data is consistently gathered for GHG inventory and policy development in the energy sector. The updated survey will be implemented at the end of this year, collecting data from 2023.