Resilient Atoll Nations in Productive Oceans

Events

Resilient Atoll Nations in Productive Oceans

27 August 2019 to 29 August 2019
Male
Maldives

The conference on Resilient Atoll Nations in Productive Oceans, organized by the ADB, brings together high-level government officials from the four atoll nations—Kiribati, Maldives, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu—along with experts and development partners

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: 
Date Session / Activity Presentation Material Speaker(s)
28 Aug 2019 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, sustainable...
Luca Di Mario
28 Aug 2019 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 and...
Mizna Mohamed
28 Aug 2019 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 Productive...
Hussain Rasheed Hassan
28 Aug 2019 Setting the Scene Setting the Scene: Reflection on the 1st Atoll Adaptation Dialogue
This presentation highlighted discussion points from adialogue on climate change science, security, and adaptation with officials from the world’s four...
Benjamin Graham
28 Aug 2019 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 quantitative...
Andrew Jones
28 Aug 2019 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 studies...
Julien Oliver
28 Aug 2019 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 disaster...
Ahmed Rasheed
28 Aug 2019 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 ofsea level rise given the present rate of global warming, glacier ice...
Charles Fletcher
28 Aug 2019 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
28 Aug 2019 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 solutionsto restore eroded shorelines and enhance coastal resilience. It also discussed drivers of coastal...
Michael Foley
28 Aug 2019 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 breakwaters...
Michael Beck
Date Session / Activity Presentation Material Speaker(s)
29 Aug 2019 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
29 Aug 2019 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
29 Aug 2019 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 need...
Michael Adams
29 Aug 2019 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 nation...
Palipa Lauti
29 Aug 2019 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

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