The Maldives has assumed the chairmanship of the Coalition of Atoll Nations on Climate Change (CANCC).
The Maldives took over from the outgoing chair, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, during an event focusing on atoll nations held on the sidelines of the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, UAE, on 5 December 2023.
Speaking at the event, the Maldives’ Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, Thoriq Ibrahim, highlighted the importance of atoll nations working together in solidarity to strengthen the voices of states who remain on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Ibrahim focused on the value in CANCC members sharing best practices in terms of adaptation to climate change and mitigation while also emphasising the need for coordinated efforts to maximise the benefits for all atoll nations.
While taking over as chair of the CANCC, the minister also spoke about the vulnerability of atoll nations to climate change due to their geography and structure, pointing to the sensitive environmental issues faced by such nations.
CANCC is a coalition of low-lying atoll nations which include Kiribati, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands, Maldives and Tokelau. The coalition stands together to give voice and relevance to the unique vulnerabilities faced by the nations due to their specific geographical nature and works to bring attention to their extreme vulnerabilities to climate change impacts such as sea level rise, coastal erosion, and groundwater salinisation.