The Maldives cemented its role as a global leader in ocean protection and stewardship by sharing nationwide success from the Noo Raajje program at the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal. A delegation from the Maldives, led by Maldives Minister of Environment, Climate Change, and Technology Aminath Shauna, attended the conference to encourage other leaders to take action for the ocean and reaffirm the nation’s commitment to marine protection.

Minister Aminath Shauna emphasized the Maldives’ commitment to the ocean while addressing the leaders from around the globe at conference, “We support the global initiative to protect 30% of the world’s oceans and are working to protect at least 20% of our economic zone. Yet, no matter how ambitious our actions are, we cannot do it alone. We need sustainable fisheries to be the norm, not the outlier. We need development that incorporates ocean protection and climate resilience.”

The minister also recognized that protection extends beyond just environmental conservation and acknowledged the Noo Raajje program’s efforts to plan for the future of the ocean, “We hope to protect at least 20% and are developing a Marine Spatial Plan with scientific knowledge. Protection is not just about environmental protection, it is the way we shape our economic future in a sustainable manner. It’s how we create jobs and income for our people.”

This reaffirms president Ibrahim Solih’s commitment to protecting at least 20% of the ocean at the United Nations General Assembly in 2019. This declaration acted as the basis for the Noo Raajje program, a partnership between the Government of the Maldives and the Blue Prosperity Coalition to build a brighter future for all Maldivians through sustainable fisheries practices, Blue Economy development, marine spatial planning and ocean protection, to achieve sustainable ocean management.

Noo Raajje is a partnership between the Government of the Maldives and the Blue Prosperity Coalition to protect the ocean and its resources in order to build a bright future for communities, the economy, and the environment.

The program aims to promote the advancement of Maldivian ocean science and stewardship through research, education, capacity building, and outreach, including collaborating with and providing support to local scientists and civil society. Noo Raajje is led by the Government of the Maldives, including the President’s Office and the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture, and in partnership with government agencies including the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Tourism, the Environment Protection Agency, and the Maldives Marine Research Institute. International support comes from the Blue Prosperity Coalition, including the Waitt Institute, the Waitt Foundation, National Geographic Pristine Seas, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, SeaSketch, Environmental Markets Solutions Lab at UC Santa Barbara, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, and others.