Climate Resilience and Laamu – The first “Laamu Climate Change Forum” convenes in Fonadhoo

The two-day Forum entitled “Climate Resilience and Laamu” is being held in Laamu Fonadhoo on 20th and 21st April 2015. This Forum is a key milestone of the UN Maldives’ ground-breaking Low Emission Climate Resilient Development (LECReD) Programme.

This forum marks the beginning in a series of such forums to be held in Laamu Atoll under the LECReD programme and are meant to be platforms to deliberate and share experiences and knowledge in development planning around climate change adaptation. The LCCFs will ultimately identify opportunities presented by climate change to invest in green growth and sustainable livelihood opportunities to pave the way for low carbon lifestyles.

Speaking at the Forum’s opening ceremony held today, Minister of Environment and Energy Mr. Thoriq Ibrahim noted that the LCCF was a unique opportunity for climate change dialogue at the local level.  “ We need more forums like this held across the country where communities can come together at the local level and talk about climate change impact and how to mitigate its effects on our communities,” the Minister said.

“Given the vulnerability of the Maldives to the adverse impacts of climate change, the LCCFs offer platforms to foster local innovation in creating local development plans that can benefit not just us, but also future generations,”  Ms. Shoko Noda, UN Resident Coordinator said during her remarks at the ceremony.

The President of Laamu Atoll Council Mr. Yusuf Amir, in his statement, urged the participants of the Forum to make positive use of this opportunity for the development of the atoll. He also affirmed the support of the Laamu Atoll Council to all participating UN agencies in implementing the programme successfully.

The LECReD Programme is largely driven by the aim of addressing the challenges of climate change in Maldives through the integration of low emission climate-resilient development into local planning and governance frameworks.