Malé, Maldives – President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has appointed Sabra Ibrahim Noordeen as the Special Envoy for Climate Change of Maldives.
Until today, she served as the Secretary, Foreign Relations at the President’s Office. According to the President’s Office, the Special Envoy for Climate Change is an ambassadorial position equal in rank to Ministers of State.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih made the appointment under article 11 (a) of the Climate Emergency Act (Law no.: 9/2021), which mandates the President to appoint a Special Envoy for climate change to represent and lead the Maldives’ interests in the international arena with regard to the climate emergency.
The Special Envoy for Climate Change who would be representing Maldives in the climate diplomacy, is also responsible for planning and budgeting for projects involving climate change, and strengthening the bonds between other countries and Maldives in the environmental issues.
Sabra Ibrahim Noordeen graduated from the University of London, United Kingdom, with a Master of Science in State, Society and Development. She has previously worked with the Maldivian Democratic Party, Maldives Police Service, and the British High Commission in Colombo.
The Climate Emergency Act was passed on April 2021 with the target for Maldives to become a carbon neutral country by 2030.
The Climate Change bill which was first introduced to the Parliament floor by the government, was changed by the Parliament’s Environment and Climate Change Committee, to Climate Emergency Bill after considering the current situation of the Maldives.
In addition to this, a more goal oriented measurable ways to achieving net-zero carbon emissions was also included in the bill as the current policies did not have such legal frameworks.
The Act also stipulates to finding the most suitable way to manage the funds Maldives receives for the management of climate change. It was proposed that a specific committee is to be made to manage such funds so that more transparent and effective fund management can be carried out.
