Maldives Showcases Ecosystem Mapping at COP17

The Maldives showcased its pioneering National Ecosystem Mapping at the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP17) in Yerevan yesterday, highlighting how cutting-edge environmental data can drive national conservation and climate action.

Presenting its work as the first National Accelerator of the Global Ecosystems Atlas, the delegation led a dedicated session titled “Maldives National Accelerator: From Ecosystem Data to Country Action”.

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During the event, Rifath Naeem, Director of Environmental Compliance and Assessment at the Environmental Regulatory Authority (ERA), emphasised the role of nationally owned data in strengthening environmental governance. He noted that the mapping directly supports Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), national spatial planning, and the targeted designation of environmentally sensitive areas across the low-lying archipelago.

The technical development of the map integrated local expertise with advanced technology. Ahmed Shan, Director of Knowledge Management, Research and Assessment at the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, detailed how Maldivian specialists refined the baseline through collaborative workshops, rigorous field verification, Earth observation data, and artificial intelligence.

The map will be openly available as a national baseline, with the Maldives aiming to extend the work to its marine ecosystems in the future.

Maldives showcases National Ecosystem Mapping at CBD COP17, in Yerevan, Armenia. The Maldives presented its work as the first National Accelerator of the Global Ecosystems Atlas at the session "Maldives National Accelerator: From Ecosystem Data to Country Action", held on 24 October 2026. During the event, Rifath Naeem, Director of Environmental Compliance and Assessment at the Environmental Regulatory Authority (ERA), highlighted how nationally owned ecosystem data can strengthen environmental governance, including EIA, spatial planning and the identification of environmentally sensitive areas. Director of Knowledge Management, Research and Assessment, Ahmed Shan of the Ministry outlined how national experts assisted in developing the map through workshops, field verification and successive refinements, combining local knowledge with Earth observation and AI. The map will be openly available as a national baseline, with the Maldives aiming to extend the work to its marine ecosystems in the future.— Min. of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, MV (@MoEnvmv) October 24, 2026