Building Climate Resilient Safer Islands in the Maldives (BCRSI)
The Maldives is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world due to its low elevation, long coastlines, and dependence on climate-sensitive sectors such as tourism, fisheries, and coastal infrastructure. Sea level rise, coastal erosion, swell waves, storm surges, and flooding pose increasing threats to island communities, livelihoods, and national development.
To address these challenges, the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy (MCCEE), with financing from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is implementing the Building Climate Resilient Safer Islands in the Maldives (BCRSI) Project.
The project aims to strengthen the long-term resilience of Maldivian islands against climate change by promoting Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), implementing sustainable coastal conservation measures, strengthening disaster early warning systems, and improving climate-related data collection and monitoring systems.
The project focuses on maintaining and enhancing the natural protective functions of beaches, coral reefs, and coastal ecosystems while supporting climate-resilient development and safeguarding communities from climate-induced coastal hazards.
Objectives
- Strengthen the long-term climate resilience of vulnerable islands and coastal communities.
- Establish and operationalize Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) frameworks at national and island levels.
- Reduce risks from coastal erosion, flooding, swell waves, and sea level rise through sustainable coastal conservation and protection measures.
- Improve disaster preparedness through enhanced early warning and information dissemination systems.
- Strengthen national capacity for climate monitoring, coastal management, and evidence-based decision-making.
- Promote nature-based and climate-adaptive approaches to coastal protection and ecosystem management.
- Enhance institutional capacity and knowledge sharing among national agencies, local councils, and communities.
- Protect livelihoods, infrastructure, and natural resources from climate-related hazards.
Expected Outcomes
- Integrated Coastal Zone Management framework established and implemented.
- Improved protection of vulnerable coastal communities and infrastructure against coastal erosion and climate-related hazards.
- Strengthened national disaster early warning and information dissemination systems covering inhabited islands across the Maldives.
- Enhanced climate observation, monitoring, and data-sharing systems for waves, sea levels, beaches, coral reefs, and land use.
- Increased resilience of coastal ecosystems, including beaches and coral reefs.
- Improved technical and institutional capacity for climate adaptation and coastal management.
- Protection and conservation of approximately 6.4 km of highly vulnerable coastline.
- Direct climate resilience benefits to more than 9,000 residents in project intervention islands and indirect benefits to a large majority of the Maldivian population through improved disaster warning and climate information services.
- Establishment of sustainable management practices that can be replicated across other islands in the Maldives.
Project Team
Ahmed Anwar Abdul Azeez
Project Manager
Atsushi Takahashi
Project Coordinator
Ahmed Saanee Fathuhulla
Project Assistant
Mariyam Vabil Nuzair
Finance Officer