A Small Nation with a Big Message: Children Belong at the Heart of Climate Action

12 May 2025

Maldives has become the first country in South Asia to finalise its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), securing its reputation as a trailblazer in climate action. But what sets this national action plan apart is not only its ambition but who it places at the centre: children and young people.

This moment is a huge win for child rights; it’s also a shining example of what it means to make climate policy inclusive. In Maldives, climate action is no longer something done for the next generation—it’s being done with them. 

Why does climate action matter for Maldives?

UNICEF/South Asia

Comprising of 99 per cent ocean and just 1 per cent land, Maldives is on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Rising sea levels, heat waves, unpredictable weather patterns, flooding, shoreline erosion, and diminishing freshwater supplies are daily realities for its inhabitants.

The country lacks natural resources and depends on imported food and basic supplies. As the impacts of the climate crisis worsen, livelihoods will continue to be disrupted, affecting families who were already struggling to make ends meet.

Children and young people are paying the highest price. The young generation in Maldives faces increased risks of heat stress, dehydration, and waterborne diseases like dengue and chikungunya. Extreme weather disrupts schooling and threatens safe shelter. Mental health suffers as well, as they worry about climate change and disasters.

UNICEF/UNI660095/

"The climate crisis is a big problem today, especially for children. We can see the differences between our environment now and when we were young. At present, our environment does not provide children with safe spaces to play or offer them adequate nutrition which leads to health problems. It's very important to be aware of how this is affecting us. We must find solutions before we lose ourselves in this crisis."

Ziyan, 22

While the challenges are daunting, they present its inhabitants with an opportunity to innovate, adapt and lead – and that’s precisely what Maldives is doing.

A climate plan rooted in action

With the Government leading, with the support of young people, UNICEF and civil society organisations, Maldives' newly submitted NDCs are a blueprint for protecting the country’s future—starting with its children and youth.

The Climate Guardians’ initiative, launched by UNICEF, empowers a group of young and committed Maldivians to discuss the challenges confronting their nation, advocate for climate action, and propose solutions both locally and internationally. This programme equipped the Climate Guardians with tools, skills, and knowledge so that they could better engage in consultations, part of the NDC development process, with their peers and civil society. 

UNICEF South Asia

Here’s what makes Maldives’ NDCs stand out: 

• Health systems designed to go green and withstand extreme weather – ensure healthcare facilities are low-carbon, flood-resistant, and include mental health services for children affected by disasters. 

• Climate-smart food and nutrition – promote more home-grown, nutritious food and include support for school-based gardening and youth-led agriculture.

• Access to safe water – invest in rainwater harvesting, solar-powered desalination, and school-based hygiene education.

• Clean energy and cleaner air – generate 33 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2035, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and protecting children’s health from pollution.

• Education and skills – integrate climate change into education systems, train educators and create more opportunities in sustainability sectors and green jobs. 

• Evidence generation – expand research and innovation while strengthening data systems.

• Addressing loss and damage – strengthen financial mechanisms and insurance schemes to help families and communities recover from climate disasters.

• Disaster readiness that prioritises young people – establish local early warning systems and island-level emergency plans that engage children and young people in decision-making and response.

• Inclusive governance – ensure youth, women, and marginalised communities are co-creators of all climate-related national plans and actions.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

UNICEF/UNI713720/Shrestha

As a person from a nation that has been deeply impacted by climate change, I voiced concerns for the Maldives NDC to reflect urgency and justice. We young people are not just asking to be heard but demanding to be included in decisions that will shape our survival. During the NDC consultations, I felt that my voice and concerns were acknowledged, and I hope we continue to have more inclusive spaces where everyone’s views are valued.”

Abyan, 18, Climate Guardian

Lesson from Maldives – transforming children and youth from participants to leaders

UNICEF/UNI471722/Pun

Maldives’ decision to engage children and young people in national climate policy is a lesson for all governments. Young people didn’t create the climate crisis, but they will inherit its consequences. It is only right – and respectful - that they are at the table when decisions are made.

Children bring creativity, urgency, and lived experience to the table. They challenge outdated thinking and demand the long view.

For Maldives, the NDCs are one example. The Government of Maldives and UNICEF have long invested in efforts that ensure youth are not just heard but empowered. Programs, such as Climate Guardians, have trained young Maldivians in environmental leadership, enabling them to participate in delegations on climate action at global forums such as COP. They have supported tree planting, organised beach clean-ups, and helped to shape local climate action plans.

UNICEF is also developing child-friendly early warning systems, so that children can understand and respond to climate disasters, with initiatives aiming to benefit 50,000 children and youth across the islands. 

“Climate change is the defining challenge of our time — and its impacts are no longer distant threats, but present realities. For Small Island Developing States like the Maldives, extreme weather events, and ecosystem loss threaten not only our environment, but our children’s future. We must act with urgency and unity to ensure that the youngest and most vulnerable inherit a safe, healthy, and resilient world. Securing the future of our children means confronting the climate crisis today, with courage, compassion, and conviction.”

Amjad Abdulla, Director General, Ministry of Tourism and Environment 

Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, Maldives

A Wake-Up Call for the Region

UNICEF/Maldives//Yameen

With this submission, Maldives has become a torchbearer for the rest of South Asia. At a time when only 19 countries globally have submitted updated NDCs, Maldives is not only ahead of the curve, it has raised the bar by prioritising child rights and youth leadership. Now it’s time for others to follow. 

For Maldives, the Government must sustain the gains. 

• Keep the momentum: Implement child-focused priorities in the NDC. 

• Ensure youth participation remains a central pillar: Safeguard young people’s right to participate in the planning, monitoring, and accountability of all climate change-related decision-making. 

• Invest in scale: Support youth-led programs, such as Climate Guardians, and expand child-friendly early warning systems and clean energy to reach every atoll. 

For governments across South Asia, this is an opportunity to do better and do more. 

• Learn from Maldives: Use this moment as inspiration to develop or update NDCs that put children and youth at the heart of climate action. 

• Involve the next generation in climate planning from day one. Co-create, don’t just consult. 

• Prioritise child-centric social sectors: strengthen delivery of critical lifesaving services such as WASH, health, education in the NDCs and climate policies. 

• Partner with UNICEF to access tools, data, expertise and resources for developing tailored child-sensitive climate policy. 

Climate change impacts everyone and everything. Despite the challenges, the Maldives exemplifies how to do things better.

And it all starts with the question: What kind of world do we want to leave for our children?

This article is first published at UNICEF Maldives website on A Small Nation with a Big Message: Children Belong at the Heart of Climate Action

To learn more about the works of UNICEF Maldives Please visit UNICEF Maldives