President Mohamed Muizzu has abolished the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and created a new Environmental Regulatory Authority under the full control of the Environment Ministry.
The change, announced Tuesday, dissolves the EPA’s status as an independent scientific, regulatory and enforcement body.
Established on 18 December 2008 under a special resolution of then-President Mohamed Nasheed, the EPA had operated with the advice of a governing board. While it was administratively part of the Environment Ministry, it retained operational independence until now.
According to the President’s Office, the decision to replace the EPA was intended to give the agency a name more relevant to its regulatory role and to “strengthen and accelerate” its work. Critics, however, argue the move will weaken environmental oversight and allow the government to push forward projects regardless of their environmental impact.
The change was accompanied by amendments to rules on environmental impact assessment reporting. Before the EPA’s creation, its functions were handled by the Environmental Research Centre and the Maldives Water and Sanitation Authority.