News Desk
Qingdao, China – Deputy Speaker of the People’s Majlis, Hon. Ahmed Nazim, delivered a forceful call for global action at the 2024 Global Ocean Development Forum, urging international leaders to prioritize the Blue Economy as a critical element of climate resilience and sustainable innovation.
Hon. Nazim highlighted the Maldives’ vulnerability to rising sea levels, stating that “the ocean holds the key to our future” and emphasizing the country’s leadership in climate change mitigation through initiatives like coral reef restoration and mangrove reforestation. He noted that seagrass beds in the Maldives, which absorb 40 times more carbon than tropical rainforests, are an untapped resource for global climate efforts.
In his address, Hon. Nazim also stressed the importance of sustainable fisheries management, pointing to the Maldives’ pole-and-line tuna fishing method as a model for global adoption. “In 2023, our tuna exports brought in $275 million,” he said, but warned that overfishing and illegal practices threaten food security.
The Deputy Speaker called on world leaders to support blue innovation and combat marine pollution, adding that the Maldives has already banned 13 single-use plastic products to curb marine litter. He also announced plans to expand the country’s network of Marine Protected Areas.
“We stand at a pivotal moment,” Hon. Nazim concluded. “The Blue Economy is not just a policy goal—it is an existential necessity.” He urged nations to protect at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 and to partner with the Maldives on ocean-based renewable energy and marine biotechnology.
