LocationsMaldives Launches Project to Strengthen Early Warning Systems for Climate Resilience
May 18, 2025
Maldives Launches Project to Strengthen Early Warning Systems for Climate Resilience
Malé, 18 May 2025: A high-level kick-off ceremony was held today to mark the launch of a new project aimed at enhancing the Maldives’ early warning and disaster preparedness capabilities in the face of intensifying climate risks.
The event brought together representatives from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Maldives, the Minister of Tourism and Environment, Maldives Meteorological Services (MMS), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Maldives.
With a population of over half a million spread across 187 small islands, the Maldives is acutely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The country is experiencing increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events—monsoonal flooding, sea surges, coastal erosion, and prolonged dry periods leading to water shortages. The limitations of the current meteorological infrastructure have hindered the ability of MMS to issue timely and accurate alerts, leaving communities at risk.
In response, this new initiative—supported through UNDP’s South-South Cooperation platform and in partnership with The China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) —will:
The project aims to enhance the Maldives’ climate resilience by upgrading and expanding its meteorological observation network, including improved maintenance of Automated Weather Stations (AWS) and radar systems. It will pilot advanced instruments to boost data collection and forecasting accuracy, and develop localized, gender-responsive communication tools and digital platforms to ensure communities have timely access to weather and disaster alerts. These efforts align with the global Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative and national disaster risk reduction priorities.
Maldives Launches Project to Strengthen Early Warning Systems for Climate Resilience
"As a global leader in addressing climate change and advancing meteorological disaster forecasting and early warning, China has fully funded this first-ever China-UNDP-Maldives tripartite cooperation project. This initiative was made possible through collaboration between the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) and UNDP, under the framework of the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, a Chinese initiative specifically designed to promote South-South cooperation and support developing countries in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). China remains firmly committed to supporting global efforts in meteorological disaster prevention and reduction. By working closely with all partners including the Maldives, China aims to further strengthen the climate resilience of island nations and help protect our planet—our one and only shared and beautiful home," said H.E. Kong Xianhua, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Maldives.
Maldives Launches Project to Strengthen Early Warning Systems for Climate Resilience
The project represents a critical step toward building resilience in Maldivian communities by ensuring that early warning systems are not only technologically robust but also inclusive and accessible to those most at risk.
"Like many other Small Island Developing States, the Maldives has been struggling to access climate finance. Global platforms for development assistance often prove to be overly bureaucratic and fall short in addressing the climate emergency. Year after year, climate change continues to test the resilience of the Maldives. The multilateral cooperation and key partnership that UNDP has developed with CIDCA exemplify why such cooperation remains relevant in the Asia Pacific Region," said UNDP Resident Representative Enrico Gaveglia.