The Tourism Statistics Survey 2024 was launched today by Dr. Muaviyath Mohamed, Minister of State for Climate Change, Environment, and Energy, during a ceremony organized by the Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS) in collaboration with the Ministry. The launch event was attended by key stakeholders, including government representatives and policy experts.

The survey has been updated to collect essential energy data to strengthen national climate reporting in line with the transparency requirements under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.

This update was carried out under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on 6th November 2024 between the Ministry, the Utility Regulatory Authority (URA), and the Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS). The MOU aims to improve data collection processes for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhance the accuracy of energy-related statistics to meet both national and international reporting obligations.

As part of this initiative, the Tourism Statistics Survey will collect data on energy usage from the resort sector annually. The survey directly addresses data gaps identified in the Maldives' First Biennial Transparency Report (BTR1), particularly those related to the tourism sector’s energy consumption and emissions.

The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy (MCCEE), in collaboration with the Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) held a stakeholder consultation workshop on the Energy Supply and Demand Study under the consultancy service to develop the energy supply and demand study for the year 2018 to 2022.

The workshop was opened by Mr. Ajwad Musthafa, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry. In his remarks, he highlighted the importance of robust energy data in shaping evidence-based policies to meet the Maldives' climate and energy commitments.

The objective of the workshop was to review and validate the draft Energy Supply and Demand Study while addressing challenges in energy data collection. Discussions focused on enhancing understanding of energy balances and methodologies, proposing mechanisms for continuous reporting, and gathering stakeholder feedback to refine the study for effective, data-driven energy policies.
A total of 18 (7 female, 11 male) participants, including representatives from Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), Maldives Ports Limited (MPL), State Electric Company (STELCO), Maldives Gas, Island Aviation Services Limited (IASL), and MIFCO, attended the workshop, along with officials from URA and the Ministry. Additionally, the Gender Expert and GHG Inventory Expert from the CBIT Maldives project participated, providing valuable insights to the discussions.

Contract signed with Riyan Pvt Ltd to undertake the “Consultancy Service for Tracking of Mitigation Actions.” The contract signing ceremony took place at the Ministry, with the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Ajwad Musthafa, representing the Ministry, and the Head of Business Development, Mr. Ismail Ishaan, signing on behalf of Riyan Pvt Ltd. The consultancy will be executed by Riyan Pvt Ltd in association with Grant Thornton.

The objective of this consultancy is to develop guidelines on reporting procedures of GHG estimations from mitigation measures, to develop tools, methodologies for estimation of mitigation indicators to track the NDC implementation, develop an Online Integrated Tracking tool and train the relevant stakeholders.

A preparatory meeting was held with the consultants from Sri Lanka Energy Managers Association (SLEMA) and Epoch Associates Pvt Ltd, along with representatives from the Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) to discuss the agenda and objectives for the upcoming stakeholder consultation workshop on the Energy Supply and Demand Study. The meeting also addressed the progress of other key deliverables under the consultancy.

The inception meeting for the “Consultancy Service for Enhancing Knowledge Management Capabilities and Functionality of the Ministry’s Website – Phase 2” was held on November 21, 2024, with Javaabu Pvt Ltd.

The meeting was attended by Permanent Secretary Mr. Ajwad Musthafa, Head of the Information Communication Technology Section Mr. Mohamed Samir, and members of the CBIT Maldives Project Management Unit (PMU). During the session, Mr. Ajwad Musthafa outlined the objectives and expectations of the consultancy. Mr. Mohamed Jailam, the Managing Director of Javaabu Pvt Ltd, provided a detailed briefing on how the work would be conducted.

Contract signed with Javaabu Pvt Ltd to undertake the “Consultancy Service for Enhancing Knowledge Management Capabilities and Functionality of the Ministry’s Website – Phase 2”
The objective of this consultancy is to undertake the phase 2 of the enhance knowledge management capabilities and functionality of the Ministry's website. The phase 2 includes adding additional functions to the website to improve the overall user experience and enhance the sharing of knowledge products developed at the Ministry, facilitating access and dissemination among staff, private sector stakeholders, NGOs, and the public.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the Ministry with the Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS) and the Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) to improve data collection processes for Greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting on 6th November 2024. 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.

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.

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.

A stakeholder consultation workshop on Adaptation Tracking and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) 3.0 was successfully held in Fuvahmulah City on 24th October 2024, with 23 participants in attendance. The workshop included stakeholders from various public organizations, NGOs, and representatives from the major sectors of the community, such as Fuvahmulah City Council, Women’s Development Committee, Maldives Meteorological Service, Agro National Corporation Limited, Fuvahmulah Airport, FENAKA, WAMCO, Women in Fuvahmulah, Isles of Tomorrow, Maldives Red Crescent, Schools, Fuvahmulah Hospital, and Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works.

The objective of the workshop was to facilitate discussions and gather stakeholder input on the development of adaptation tracking focused on the agriculture sector. Fuvahmulah City is one of the islands selected under the CBIT Maldives project to pilot adaptation tracking methodologies in the agriculture sector. The feedback from this consultation will contribute to developing indicators and tools for tracking adaptation in agriculture.

Contract was signed with Up Close Solutions Pvt Ltd, in association with Aether Ltd, to provide consultancy services for tracking support for NDC implementation, including institutional arrangements, methodologies, and tools for monitoring and reporting support from both state and non-state actors. The contract was signed by Permanent Secretary Mr. Ajwad Musthafa on behalf of the Ministry, and Managing Director Mr. Mohamed Haikal Ibrahim on behalf of Up Close Solutions Pvt Ltd.
The scope of the consultancy includes the following key activities:
• Comprehensive gap analysis on the existing institutional arrangements for tracking climate finance, including inter-ministerial communication and financial data flow.
• Recommendations on Institutional Arrangements outlining the responsibilities of ministries and agencies to deliver the necessary data and information to track progress and developing required mandates for data sharing procedures and outlining reporting responsibilities.
• Regulation and MOU framework to formalize institutional arrangement for Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) of climate finance and support received and needed.
• Framework for reporting by non-state actors e.g. NGOs and private sector on climate finance received and invested in actions for climate change or related actions, in consultation with the stakeholders.
• Guidelines for tagging climate finance and system development and operationalization of system for tagging and generating reports on climate finance.
• Training on climate finance tagging and reporting system and framework for reporting climate finance by state and non-state actors.

A stakeholder consultation workshop was held to review the draft regulation on institutionalizing the data collection process for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventories. This workshop was organized as part of the consultancy to strengthen institutional arrangements for climate change reporting.

The workshop was attended by 20 participants (10 male and 10 female) from various organizations, including the Energy Department of the Ministry, Utility Regulatory Authority, Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS), Maldives Customs Services, STELCO, MTCC, MIFCO, Maldives Gas, and Manta Air. The team responsible for developing the Maldives' first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) also participated in the workshop.

Institutional Arrangement Expert Mr. Hamdhoon Mohamed followed with a presentation on the importance of GHG inventories and the Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) of mitigation actions. National Legal Expert Mr. Mohamed Aseel Hassan presented the draft regulation, which aims to formalize data collection for GHG inventories to meet the reporting requirements of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Contract signed with the Stockholm Environment Institute US (SEI-US) to conduct a “Training on Energy Modelling using Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP)”. The contract was signed by Permanent Secretary Mr. Ajwad Musthafa on behalf of the Ministry, and Director of Finance and Operations, Ms. Bonnie Cockman, signed on behalf of SEI-US.
This training will be held in the Maldives, providing hands-on experience with the LEAP-IBC modelling software to an expected 25 participants. The objective is to enhance the Maldives’ capacity to track greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigation efforts, enabling the country to meet its reporting obligations under the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) of the Paris Agreement.

The roadmap was finalized and published on September 2024. It provides a guide based on the gaps and barriers identified in the Stock-take and design option report on the institutional arrangements for GHG inventory and the Report on gaps and needs and institutional arrangements for the monitoring of mitigation actions, incorporates them into a consolidated National Improvement Plan, and establishes phases for implementation of capacity building activities against key milestones such as the deadline for the first BTR.
The roadmap was developed as a part of the consultancy project to review and strengthen the institutional arrangements for climate change reporting, which was awarded to Up Close Solutions Pvt Ltd.
Link: https://www.environment.gov.mv/v2/en/download/29184

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy (MCCEE) and the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (MOTCA) to enhance data management systems within the transport sector for the preparation of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventories. The MoU was signed by Minister H.E. Thoriq Ibrahim on behalf of the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, and Minister H.E. Mohamed Ameen representing the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation.

The transport sector, identified as a key category in the national inventories, contributes approximately 25% of the Maldives’ total emissions. However, challenges persist in obtaining accurate activity data within the sector. Through this MoU, both Ministries will collaborate to improve the data management mechanisms in the transport sector, thereby strengthening the Maldives’ ability to effectively monitor and report on its GHG emissions for the compilation of the national Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventories.

A stakeholder consultation was held on 16th July 2024 to present the ETF Roadmap & to review the draft regulation on institutionalizing the data collection process for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventories. This consultation was organized as part of the consultancy to strengthen institutional arrangements for climate change reporting.
The consultation was attended by 7 participants (5 male and 2 female) from Climate Change Department (CCD) and BTR team.
Institutional Arrangement Expert Mr. Hamdhoon Mohamed presented the findings of the stock take report and the ETF roadmap. National Legal Expert Mr. Mohamed Aseel Hassan presented the draft regulation, which aims to formalize data collection for GHG inventories to meet the reporting requirements of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The report reviews the institutional framework for monitoring adaptation actions across governance, expertise, data flows, tools, and stakeholder engagement, examining legal arrangements and potential data collection bottlenecks. It lays the groundwork for a comprehensive MRV system to support informed decision making on climate action, policy, and investment. The report proposes a detailed list of recommendations to support the list of recommendations provided for the stocktaking exercise on the Maldives’ national NDC and climate mitigation tracking system. The report was developed as a part of the consultancy project to review and strengthen the institutional arrangements for climate change reporting, which was awarded to Up Close Solutions Pvt Ltd.

Link: https://www.environment.gov.mv/v2/en/download/27704

The focus of the report is NDC and mitigation action tracking, involving data collection, analysis, and reporting on policies, measures, and actions that impact greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The report outlines the expected outputs from the MRV system, such as expert reviews, data sets, and indicators, contributing to various domestic and international reports and strategies, thereby supporting transparency in climate change mitigation efforts. The report provide reviews institutional arrangements for monitoring mitigation actions across governance, expertise, data flows, tools, and stakeholder engagement, examining legal frameworks and potential data collection bottlenecks. The report was developed as a part of the consultancy project to review and strengthen the institutional arrangements for climate change reporting, which was awarded to Up Close Solutions Pvt Ltd.

Link: https://www.environment.gov.mv/v2/en/download/27701

An inception workshop was held under the consultancy Climate Risk Assessment and Adaptation Support, to enhance the Maldives’ Transparency Framework for tracking adaptation actions and resilience building. The workshop was attended by stakeholders from various public organizations, namely, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Maldives Meteorological Services (MMS), Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare and the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works.

The workshop commenced with welcome remarks from the Director of the Climate Change Department, Mr. Ahmed Waheed, setting the stage for a comprehensive discussion on the subject. Mr. Hussein Zahir, Team Leader for the consultancy, presented an overview of the background information on National Climate Change Reporting and key tasks for the consultancy. Mr. Ibrahim Shabau, Agriculture and Food Security Expert, discussed the link between climate change, agricultural activities and food security. A group discussion was also held, allowing participants from various sectors to deliberate on the multifaceted aspects of climate change and adaptation actions.

The report was finalized with comments from stakeholders on March 2024. The main objective of this report is to stock- take the existing institutional arrangements for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory compilation. In addition, this report will identify the room for improvement for the existing institutional arrangement for GHG inventory compilation and provide recommendations for the improvement of GHG inventory compilation for future endeavors. The report was developed as a part of the consultancy project to review and strengthen the institutional arrangements for climate change reporting, which was awarded to Up Close Solutions Pvt Ltd.

Link: https://www.environment.gov.mv/v2/en/download/26117

Contract signed with Land and Marine Environmental Resource Group (LAMER) Pvt Ltd to provide climate risk assessment and adaptation support. The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Ajwad Musthafa, representing the Ministry, and the Managing Director, Mr Ismail Abid, signed on behalf of Land and Marine Environmental Resource Group (LAMER) Pvt Ltd.

The objective of this consultancy is to provide climate risk assessment and adaptation support to enhance the Maldives’ Transparency Framework for tracking adaptation actions and resilience building. The consultancy will contribute to the strengthen the existing monitoring system, facilitate data standardization, and develop operational indicators for effective climate risk assessment and adaptation planning.

The second Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting of the Capacity Building for Improved Transparency of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Actions in the Maldives (CBIT Maldives) project was held on 7th March 2024.
Representatives from the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, Ministry of Finance, Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) and UN Environment Programme participated in the meeting.
The PSC endorsed the proposed work plan for the 2024/2025 year period as well as the budget revisions and amendments required for the implementation of project activities.

CBIT PMU and Institutional Arrangements Expert participated in the inception workshop held to initiate the development of the First Biennial Transparency Report. Discussion were carried out in two working groups, the mitigation working group and the adaptation working group. Discussions in the Mitigation Group were led by CBIT Project Technical Coordinator, Mr. Mohamed Inaz and Institutional Arrangements Expert whereas the Adaptation Group was led by Assistant Director, Climate Change Department, Mr. Thibyan Ibrahim. In the Mitigation working discussion was carried out on aligning the CBIT Maldives project deliverables with the objectives of the BTR.
The BTR serves as a comprehensive tool for the Maldives and other nations to report on their climate actions and progress towards meeting their Paris Agreement commitments.
This workshop brought together a wide range of key stakeholders crucial to the BTR as well as the CBIT Project, such as the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Development and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The CBIT PMU and Institutional Arrangements expert participated in the inception workshop for Advancing the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) project.
The NAP project will support multi-sectoral, medium- to long-term adaptation planning and budgeting in Maldives and promote the integration of climate change adaptation aspects into development policies. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the Delivery Partner for the project with the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy (MCCEE) acting as the key implementing agency.
The CBIT project consists of supporting components to the NAP project - namely through strengthening institutional arrangements for continuous national reporting and tracking adaptation actions.

The Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) has commenced the development of the Energy Supply and Demand Study with an inception meeting on 18th December 2023, involving the consultant Sri Lanka Energy Managers Association in partnership with Epoch Associates Pvt. Ltd and the CBIT Maldives project. Following the inception meeting, separate meetings were held with key stakeholders, including the Energy Department of the Ministry, STELCO, FENAKA, and the Maldives Customs Service and Fuel Supply Maldives.

This initiative, part of the CBIT Maldives project, will support the development of the Energy Supply and Demand Study for the Maldives for the years 2018–2022 and will build the capacity of relevant stakeholders in energy statistics and energy balance. Additionally, it will aid in establishing a mechanism for the continuous publishing of the Energy Supply and Demand report and develop a method for URA to verify power production data.

Contract signed with Sri Lanka Energy Managers Association, in association with Epoch Associates Pvt. Ltd, to conduct an Energy Supply and Demand Study. The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Ajwad Musthafa, representing the Ministry, and the President, Mr. Kamal Illeperuma, signed on behalf of Sri Lanka Energy Managers Association.

The objective of this consultancy is to develop the energy balance for the past five years and establish a mechanism for the continuous publishing of the energy balance.

The key focus areas of the consultancy include:

Conduct an Energy Supply and Demand Study for the Maldives for the years 2018–2022, and build the capacity of relevant stakeholders in energy statistics and energy balance.
Review and improve the mechanism for the continuous publishing of Energy Supply and Demand report.
Development of mechanism by which Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) can verify power production data.

Contract was signed with Javaabu Pvt Ltd to undertake the “Consultancy Service for Enhancing Knowledge Management Capabilities and Functionality of the Ministry’s Website – Phase 1” The contract signing ceremony took place at the Ministry, with the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Ajwad Musthafa, representing the Ministry, and the Managing Director, Mr. Mohamed Jailam, signing on behalf of Javaabu Pvt Ltd.

The objective of this consultancy is to enhance the knowledge management capabilities of the Ministry’s website. To achieve this, the functionality, compatibility, security of the website requires to be updated. This update aims to ensure the website aligns with the latest version of WordPress, addresses any existing plugin compatibility issues, and improves overall user experience and enhance sharing of knowledge products being developed at the Ministry and facilitating access and dissemination amongst additional staff, private sector stakeholders, NGOs, and the general public.

The CBIT Maldives project PMU participated in a session on the Climate Finance Landscape and Readiness in the Maldives, organized by the Ministry in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat. The aim of the session was to cover the fundamentals of climate finance, including the current status of global financing, as well as the situation in the Maldives. The session was conducted by Commonwealth climate finance consultant, Mr. Sagar Joshi.

CBIT Maldives Project PMU met with the Task Manager Dr. Sudhir Sharma of UN Environment during his visit to the Maldives from 10th to 12th October 2023. The discussions focused on the current progress of the project, with a particular emphasis on the ongoing procurement processes for upcoming activities.

The CBIT team participated in the "Asia Regional Network Workshop on Tracking Progress of the Mitigation Commitments of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)" from 11th to 13th September 2023 in Seoul, Republic of Korea. This workshop, organized by the Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency – Global Support Programme (CBIT-GSP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Partnership on Transparency in the Paris Agreement (PATPA), and the Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center of Korea (GIR), was focused on supporting country experts responsible for reporting NDC mitigation commitments under the Paris Agreement. It aimed to enhance their technical understanding of the goals, principles, and actions related to the reporting process for these commitments.

Inception workshop has been conducted under the consultancy to Review and Strengthen Institutional Arrangements for Climate Change Reporting. The workshop was attended by stakeholders from various public organizations, including ministries and state-owned companies.

The workshop commenced with welcome remarks from the Director of the Climate Change Department, Mr. Ahmed Waheed, setting the stage for a comprehensive discussion on the subject. Mr. Hamdhoon Mohamed, Institutional Arrangement Expert, presented an overview of the background information on National Climate Change Reporting and key tasks for the consultancy. Mr. Mohamed Aseel Hassan, National Legal Expert, discussed MOUs and Regulation. A group discussion was also held, allowing participants from various sectors to deliberate on the multifaceted aspects of climate change reporting.

Contract was signed with Development Advisory Services Pvt Ltd to support the establishment of a national GHG database management system by developing guidelines, protocols, and toolkits. The Permanent Secretary Mr. Ajwad Musthafa signed the contract on behalf of the Ministry and Managing Director, Mr. Zammath Khaleel, signed the contract on behalf of Development Advisory Services Pvt Ltd.

The scope of the assignment includes;
1. Develop guidelines and protocols for data collection and reporting to ensure consistency and quality
2. Develop sector-specific GHG emission spreadsheets, toolkits, and guidelines for relevant key categories.
3. Develop a QA/QC plan for GHG Inventory preparation

Contract was signed with Up Close Solutions Pvt Ltd to review and strengthen institutional arrangements for continuous national reporting on 09th July 2023. The Permanent Secretary Mr. Ajwad Musthafa signed the contract on behalf of the Ministry and Managing Director, Mr. Mohamed Haikal Ibrahim, signed the contract on behalf of Up Close Solutions Pvt Ltd.
The scope of the assignment includes;
1. Designing and formalizing institutional arrangements for cross-ministry cooperation to systemize data collection and processing, particularly for the preparation of greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories to comply with the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).
2. Establishing and formalizing an institutional mechanism and legal framework for inter-ministerial cooperation in systemizing data collection and processing related to climate change mitigation, with the Ministry of Environment leading the efforts.
3. Conducting a comprehensive stock-taking exercise on adaptation monitoring to track adaptation actions for local-level adaptation planning.

The first Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting of the Capacity Building for Improved Transparency of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Actions in the Maldives (CBIT Maldives) project was held on 7th March 2023.
Representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, Utility Regulatory Authority (URA), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and UN Environment Programme participated in the meeting.
The PSC endorsed the proposed 2023 work plan, budget and amendments which were proposed by stakeholders at the project inception workshop.

The inception workshop was held on 6th March 2023 with stakeholders from various public and private organizations.
At the opening ceremony of the inception workshop, the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, Ms. Aminath Shauna, emphasized the importance of the project in building national institutional and human resource capacity to handle data and information related to climate change adaptation, mitigation and support while also enhancing the ability to report transparently to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).