The United Nations Development Programme in the Maldives, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Planning and the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and supported by the Integrated National Financing Frameworks, convened a two-day national workshop in Malé to strengthen public and private sector capacity to design bankable green investment projects and mobilise climate finance for the country.
The workshop, titled “Designing Green Public and Private Investment Project Pipelines,” brought together senior policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, private sector representatives and civil society actors to address the challenge of translating the Maldives’ climate commitments into high-impact, investable projects. The focus was on bridging the gap between policy ambition and practical implementation.
Despite global climate finance exceeding USD 2 trillion in 2024, highly climate-vulnerable countries such as the Maldives continue to face limited access to funding. Although the country invested around USD 103 million in environmental protection programmes in 2025, its annual climate financing needs are estimated at USD 400–800 million, with long-term adaptation costs projected to reach USD 2–4 billion in the coming decades.
The workshop opened with a high-level panel discussion on multi-sectoral coordination for climate finance, highlighting the need for whole-of-government and whole-of-economy approaches to unlock climate investment. Senior representatives from key government institutions participated in discussions on improving coordination and enabling conditions for climate finance.
Panellists reflected on climate finance progress made since 2024, the increasing role of private sector investment, and the use of blended finance instruments to reduce risk and accelerate climate action in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable tourism and coastal protection. These reflections emphasised the importance of innovative financing mechanisms to scale up climate investments.
Throughout the two days, participants engaged in practical sessions on the global climate finance landscape, project preparation for climate funds, structuring bankable proposals and strategically using blended finance. The discussions aimed to equip institutions with the technical knowledge needed to develop strong investment pipelines.
UNDP highlighted that strengthening a pipeline of bankable climate projects is essential for the Maldives to access climate finance at scale and move from ambition to implementation. The initiative underscores UNDP’s ongoing support to the Government of Maldives in advancing climate-resilient development, enhancing institutional capacity and mobilising innovative financing solutions aligned with national priorities, Nationally Determined Contributions and the Sustainable Development Goals.
