Minister Shauna Proudly Shares Noo Raajje Program’s Achievements at the UNOC 2022

The Maldives shared national accomplishments from the Noo Raajje program at the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, solidifying its position as a global leader in ocean protection and stewardship. Ms Aminath Shauna, the Minister of Environment, Climate Change, and Technology, led a delegation there to urge other decision-makers to take action for the ocean and to reaffirm the country's dedication to marine protection.
 
“We support the global initiative to protect 30 percent of the world’s oceans and are working to protect at least 20 percent 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.” Addressing world leaders at the conference, Minister Shauna emphasized the Maldives' dedication to the ocean.
 
In addition, the Minister also acknowledged the Noo Raajje program's efforts to make long-term plans for the ocean, acknowledging that protection goes beyond merely environmental conservation. “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 the UN General Assembly in 2019 to safeguard at least 20% of the ocean. This statement served as the foundation for the Noo Raajje program, a collaboration between the Government of the Maldives and the Blue Prosperity Coalition to create a better future for all Maldivians through the development of the Blue Economy, marine spatial planning, and ocean preservation in order to achieve sustainable ocean management.
 
A partnership between the Maldivian government and the Blue Prosperity Coalition called Noo Raajje aims to safeguard the ocean and its resources in order to create a sustainable future for local populations, the economy, and the environment. Through research, education, capacity building, and outreach—as well as by working with and supporting local researchers and civil society—the program seeks to advance Maldivian ocean science and stewardship.
 
The President's Office, the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources, and Agriculture, along with other government departments such as the Ministry of the 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, are all partners in the leadership of Noo Raajje.
 
Moreover, The Waitt Institute, 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 other organizations support the Blue Prosperity Coalition internationally.