LocationsMaldives Strengthens Capacity to Model Economic Impacts of Climate Change
July 22, 2025
Building national capacity in assessing the economic impacts of climate change using a climate-economic modelling tool.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Maldives and the Ministry of Finance, in cooperation with the UK Government-supported Climate Finance Network at UNDP Asia and the Pacific, hosted a workshop focused on strengthening the Maldives’ capacity to assess the economic impacts of climate change.
The two-day in-person training, held from 20–21 July 2025 at the Public Finance Training Institute in Malé, brought together technical officers from key national institutions, including the Maldives Bureau of Statistics, Maldives Meteorological Services, Maldives Monetary Authority, Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, National Disaster Management Authority, Auditor General’s Office and the President’s Office.
Participants were introduced to a climate-economic modelling tool developed under the regional initiative. The tool offers an economy-wide analytical framework to understand how climate change affects growth and key sectors such as tourism and fisheries. It also provides a practical way to simulate scenarios and support long-term economic planning and just transition measures.
Participants engaged in interactive exercises and scenario building to explore real-world applications of the model, while technical experts from Gauss provided hands-on support and guidance throughout.
The workshop also served as a platform for identifying data needs, national use cases, and steps towards institutionalising the tool within government systems. A final session provided space for feedback and planning future calibration and long-term support.
This initiative reflects UNDP’s ongoing commitment to supporting the Government of Maldives in building national capacity for climate-informed economic planning and strengthening resilience through evidence-based decision-making.
The training covered:
The overview of the economic modelling framework developed to assess economic impacts of climate change
Step-by-step guidance on using the tool with default and national datasets building pathway to develop the comprehensive guidance document for full tool deployment
Interpretation of simulation outputs from the tool to inform policy, budgeting, and climate finance strategies
Explore opportunities to integrate national priorities and data needs to enhance the climate model
About the Climate Finance Network (CFN):
The Climate Finance Network (CFN), supported by the UK Government and implemented by UNDP Asia and the Pacific, works across the region to build the capacity of governments to integrate climate change considerations into public financial management. This workshop contributes to CFN’s sixth workstream on modelling economic impacts of climate change through a regional initiative being piloted in selected countries. This initiative aligns with the broader mission to equip countries with tools and knowledge for sustainable, climate-resilient economic planning and decision-making, fostering regional collaboration and long-term resilience.