News

British High Commissioner Meets Climate Change Department to Discuss Climate Finance and Loss and Damage Response

19 Jan 2026

The Climate Change Department held a meeting with representatives of the British High Commission in Malé at the request of the British High Commissioner to discuss cooperation on climate finance, with a particular focus on the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) and broader technical assistance needs of the Maldives.

During the meeting, Director General of the Climate Change Department Amjad Abdulla provided updates on ongoing internal discussions regarding the Barbados Implementation Modalities (BIM) of the FRLD. The Climate Change Department highlighted that the Maldives has long advocated for greater international support to address slow onset climate impacts, while also recognising that rapid onset and extreme weather events may require immediate attention, particularly in areas such as flood mitigation and coastal protection.

In discussions on implementation arrangements, the Ministry highlighted one of the key challenges faced by the Maldives in accessing international climate finance being the absence of nationally accredited direct access entities to multilateral climate funds. The Ministry emphasised the importance of continued support to address this structural constraint while supporting matchmaking efforts with international partners for the development and implementation of climate projects.

The Climate Change Department further underscored the critical importance of direct budget support to governments in the context of loss and damage response, as the feature which sets the FRLD apart from other climate funds. The Climate Change Department reiterated its intention to continue advocating for the operationalisation of this instrument, alongside other developing countries, and expressed its hope for support from the United Kingdom in this regard, including through its representation on relevant boards.

The Climate Change Department also raised broader areas of cooperation, including ongoing engagement with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Maldives’ bid to host a GCF Regional Office, and the importance of support from the UK’s board members representing the Foreign, Development and Commonwealth Office.

In addition, the Climate Change Department conveyed its appreciation for the work of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, and expressed its interest in continued support from the Commonwealth to strengthen access to climate finance and technical assistance.

The meeting reaffirmed the positive role played by the United Kingdom in international climate processes. The Climate Change Department reiterated its commitment to continued engagement with UK negotiators, board members, and institutions, and to strengthening collaboration in support of the Maldives’ climate priorities.