Resilient Atoll Nations in Productive Oceans 27 to 29 August 2019 Male, Maldives The four atoll nations of Kiribati, Maldives, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu are on frontlines of climate change. They require immediate strategies for adaptation and solutions for land loss, beach erosion, water security, ecosystem health, and economic development issues. To address these issues the atolls nations convened the First Atoll Adaptation Dialogue in Suva, Fiji on April 30th, 2019. ADB’s knowledge sharing event: Resilient Atoll Nations in Productive Oceans aimed to build upon this important work by hosting a follow-up dialogue in the Maldives, a country that has shown great progress in this area. The event aimed to support further partnerships by bringing together atoll government delegations. It involved a high-level round table with the President of ADB, policy dialogue, site visits, and expert-led knowledge sessions. The event focused on sustaining resilient atolls in productive oceans and had the following objectives: Facilitate a south-south knowledge sharing experience amongst the four atoll nations and providing the Pacific atolls an opportunity to learn from the Maldives in adapting to climate change and managing disasters. Support the atoll nations to identify steps needed to develop adaptation pathways, the associated actions, and investments, and to mobilize the necessary finance. Assist the atoll nations in raising further global awareness of the disproportionate impact of climate change and the threats faced by their communities. Program and Learning Materials 28 August 2019 29 August 2019 Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) ADB Maldives Country Program Greater Male’ Environmental Improvement and Waste Management Project This presentation gave an overview of the Greater Male’ Environmental Improvement and Waste Management Project, which will establish an integrated,… Luca Di Mario ADB Maldives Country Program Preparing Outer Islands for Sustainable Energy Development (POISED) This presentation gave an overview of ADB's Preparing Outer Islands for Sustainable Energy Development, which will help the Maldives tap solar power… Mizna Mohamed Opening Remarks and Keynote Presentation Keynote Speech In this keynote speech, Mr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan, Minister of Environment, Maldives welcomed the delegates of the Resilient Atoll Nations in… Hussain Rasheed Hassan Setting the Scene Setting the Scene: Reflection on the 1st Atoll Adaptation Dialogue This presentation highlighted discussion points from a dialogue on climate change science, security, and adaptation with officials from the world’s… Benjamin Graham Session 1: From Hazards to Risk Hazard and Risk for Pacific Atoll Futures This presentation emphasized the need to accelerate action for adaptation in the Pacific. It recommended the use of current science, along with… Andrew Jones Session 1: From Hazards to Risk Hazard to Risk: Analysis with Purpose The presentation emphasized the importance of quantified risk assessment for cost-efficient mitigation and response strategies. Large scale risk… Julien Oliver Session 1: From Hazards to Risk Hazard to Risk: Multi-Hazard Analyses This presentation considered the meteorological and seismological hazards in the Maldives, as well as a number of significant climate, weather, and… Ahmed Rasheed Session 2: From Risk to Resilience The Sea Level Rise Crisis: An Emergency for Atoll Nations This presentation discussed why atoll nations must act now to address the urgency of sea level rise given the present rate of global warming, glacier… Charles Fletcher Session 2: From Risk to Resilience Risks to Resilience This presentation discussed the climate risks and water security issues in the Maldives. It also outlined the direction that the government is taking… Mareer Mohamed Husny Session 3: The Role of Coastal Protection in Addressing Climate Change Engineering for Climate: Coastal Engineering Methods for Resilient Atoll Nations in Productive Oceans This presentation discussed various nature-based solutions to restore eroded shorelines and enhance coastal resilience. It also discussed drivers of… Michael Foley Session 3: The Role of Coastal Protection in Addressing Climate Change The Coastal Protection Benefits & Cost Effectiveness of Coral Reefs This presentation discussed the importance of reefs in providing significant coastal protection benefits by acting as low crested submerged… Michael Beck Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) Session 4: Financing Resilience and Adaptation Financing Adaptation and Climate Resilience This presentation emphasized the urgent and scaled-up climate finance needs for Atoll nations, underscoring its accessibility and timeliness. It also… Bruce Dunn Session 4: Financing Resilience and Adaptation Securing the Sustainable Blue Economy for Atoll Nations This presentation mapped out several practical steps that atoll nations could do to help secure their ocean and coastal resources, thereby signalling… John Tanzer Session 4: Financing Resilience and Adaptation Financing Resilient Atolls: Strategies & Tools for Success This presentation recommended that atoll nations collaborate on a portfolio of model projects at scale for green bond issuances. Atoll nations also… Michael Adams Session 5: The Social, Political and Economic Sides of Adaptation Tuvalu Adaptation Projects This presentation gave a geographic overview of Tuvalu and shared a number of coastal protection measures being implemented to improve the island… Palipa Lauti Session 5: The Social, Political and Economic Sides of Adaptation Reflections on the Social, Political and Economic Sides of Adaptation This presentation gave an overview of the session 5 discussions and presented key questions which were addressed by the session speakers. Benjamin Graham Disclaimer The views expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area, or by using the term “country” in this document, ADB does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Event Coordinator/s Noelle O'Brien Bruce Dunn Related Full Agenda List of Participants Ten Key Conference Takeaways Key Session Takeaways Next Steps ADB Organizer/s Pacific Department South Asia Department Climate Change, Resilience, and Environment Cluster Read Also NEWS RELEASE: Atoll Nations Face Immediate Climate Threat to their Development — ADB President ADB's Focus on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management ADB's Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies ADB Oceans Financing Initiative Topics Climate Change Disaster Risk Management Environment