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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Witness: Documenting threatened coastal ecosystems in Thiladhunmathi atoll

Land Sea Maldives (
Non-governmental organization (NGO)
)
#OceanAction46953
    Description
    Description
    Primary objective The project objective is to support community of atolls of Maldives to gain improved knowledge of the threatened ecosystems in the region, and effectively advocate for and lead Community based ecosystem management efforts. Rationale Grassroots movements focused on ecosystem protection are happening in Atolls of Maldives, as seen from the youth-led movement against construction of airport on Haa Dhaalu Kulhudhufushi wetland area , and the campaigns demanding action on mangrove die-offs in Neykurendhoo and Kelaa . These efforts demonstrate the important role communities can play in the protection and promotion of sustainable use of these ecosystems. However, these efforts are also sporadic, and difficult to sustain without financial resources and capacities, and larger support from the community. There is a growing need for awareness raising, training on capacity development on effective Community based ecosystem Management (CBEM) and robust network for amplifying voices on concerns related ecosystem, sustainable livelihood, and resilience. As such, the activities envisaged within the project aims to empower communities across Maldives to gain improved skills to document ecosystems under threat and take community actions for conservation and sustainable use, building on the back of a strong regional network. These outcomes are in line with SGP Global and Country Programme’s OP7 Priorities on enhancing community led actions for protection of threatened species and the promotion of community voices and participation in global and national policy, strategy development related to global environment and sustainable development issues. Maldives’ Strategic Action Plan (2019-2023) also highlights the importance of ecosystem-based management, as seen from the policy actions included under Jazeera Dhiriulhun objective. As per the conversations with community stakeholders held during the formulation of this project proposal, the activities outlined in the project are very relevant to the local context and timely. Specific results As a capacity development, this project adopts core modalities of training, monitoring and information dissemination, and networking to increase the commitment and abilities of the community in atoll of Maldives to address concerns related to ecosystem degradation, and the resulting negative impact on livelihoods and resilience. The specific results of the project are two-fold: 1. Community members of atoll of Maldives gain increased knowledge of CBEM methods, with participatory photography skills to document coastal ecosystems under threat, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, lagoons, beaches, and areas of mangroves. 2. Community members of atolls of Maldives continuously engage in dissemination of information regarding threatened coastal ecosystems in the region using an established web-platform, media Channel and actively participate in a regional and global network to exchange knowledge and best practices, and organize community-led actions for ecosystem conservation and sustainable use in Maldives and island nations.

    Goal 13

    Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

    Goal 13

    13.1

    Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

    13.1.1

    Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

    13.1.2

    Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

    13.1.3

    Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

    13.2

    Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

    13.2.1

    Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    13.2.2

    Total greenhouse gas emissions per year

    13.3

    Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

    13.3.1

    Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment

    13.a

    Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible

    13.a.1

    Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025

    13.b

    Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities


     

    13.b.1

    Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    14.1

    By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

    14.1.1

    (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

    14.2

    By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

    14.2.1

    Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

    14.3

    Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

    14.3.1
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    14.4

    By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

    14.4.1
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    14.5

    By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

    14.5.1
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    14.6

    By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

    14.6.1

    Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

    14.7

    By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

    14.7.1

    Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

    14.a

    Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

    14.a.1
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    14.b

    Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

    14.b.1

    Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

    14.c

    Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

    14.c.1

    Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

    Goal 15

    Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

    Goal 15

    15.1

    By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements

    15.1.1
    Forest area as a proportion of total land area
    15.1.2
    Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type

    15.2

    By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally

    15.2.1
    Progress towards sustainable forest management

    15.3

    By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world

    15.3.1
    Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area

    15.4

    By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development

    15.4.1
    Coverage by protected areas of important sites for mountain biodiversity
    15.4.2
    Mountain Green Cover Index

    15.5

    Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species

    15.5.1
    Red List Index

    15.6

    Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed

    15.6.1
    Number of countries that have adopted legislative, administrative and policy frameworks to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits

    15.7

    Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products

    15.7.1
    Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked

    15.8

    By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species

    15.8.1
    Proportion of countries adopting relevant national legislation and adequately resourcing the prevention or control of invasive alien species

    15.9

    By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts

    15.9.1

    (a) Number of countries that have established national targets in accordance with or similar to Aichi Biodiversity Target 2 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 in their national biodiversity strategy and action plans and the progress reported towards these targets; and (b) integration of biodiversity into national accounting and reporting systems, defined as implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting

    15.a

    Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems

    15.a.1

    (a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments

    15.b

    Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation

    15.b.1

    (a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments

    15.c

    Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities

    15.c.1
    Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked
    Name Description
    14.2 By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
    14.7 By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
    Establishment of malamathi (community based ecosystem mapping) media channel
    Conduct Community based Ecosystem Managment training in atolls of the madives to create 30 youth leaders covering all atolls of the Maldives
    Conduct a national conference on community based ecosystem managment
    Documenting and dissemination of information on threatened ecosystems of Maldives through malamathi website and other community engagements
    Financing (in USD)
    Training of 30 youth leaders - 400,000, national conference on community based ecosystem management 800,000, establishing of community media channel 400,000 , dissemination of information through website and community media channel 400,000
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 October 2022 (start date)
    31 December 2023 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Land Sea Maldives
    SDGs
    Other beneficiaries
    Thiladhunmathi Atoll
    Ocean Basins
    Indian Ocean
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Mangroves, Coral reefs, Marine and coastal ecosystems management, Sustainable blue economy
    More information
    Countries
    Maldives
    Maldives
    Headquarters
    Male'
    Contact Information

    Mohamed , Project Coodinator