President Mohamed Nasheed has launched the report on “Valuing Biodiversity – the economic case of biodiversity conservation in the Maldives” at a function held this afternoon at the President’s Office.
The objective of this report is to quantify and demonstrate the economic value of the Maldivian coastal and marine biodiversity and to provide an economic rationale for biodiversity conservation.
Speaking at the function, the President said that our natural resource base becomes important for us only after we realise their linkages to our wellbeing. He further said that this report makes explicit the links between environment and the economy.
In his speech, the President also focused on the importance of protecting and conserving our natural resources. Speaking in this regard, the President said that it was our duty to conserve our natural resources and pass it down to future generations.
President Nasheed also noted the support and assistance provided by various UN organisations in preparing this report as well as in any other such project.
The report was produced by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Government of Maldives and through the Global Environment Facility (GEF)’s co-funded “Atoll Ecosystem-based Conservation of Globally Significant Biological Diversity in the Maldives – Baa Atoll” (AEC).
