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.