News

Knowledge-Sharing Workshop on Coastal Studies and Resilient Design for Kulhudhuffushi City’s East Coast

23 Apr 2026

The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy (MoCCEE) has conducted a one-day knowledge-sharing workshop to present the findings of marine and coastal studies carried out along the eastern shoreline of Hdh. Kulhudhuffushi. The workshop forms part of the Marine and Coastal Modeling and Detailed Design Study under the Enhancing Climate Resilience and Food Security Project (ECRFSP). The study is being implemented by Land and Marine Environmental Resource (LAMER) Group Pvt Ltd as the technical consultancy.

 

The workshop was officially inaugurated by the Minister of State for MoCCEE, Mr. Abdulla Ziyad, who highlighted the significance of the work undertaken to collect state-of-the-art, high-resolution, and seasonally representative data over a one-year period. He noted that this data enables the development of robust, evidence-based designs for climate-resilient infrastructure. He also commended the stakeholder and community consultations conducted in collaboration with the Kulhudhuffushi City Council and relevant national agencies, ensuring that local knowledge is effectively integrated into data analysis and design outcomes.

The workshop sessions provided a comprehensive overview of the project and study area, including key challenges, risks, user groups, stakeholders, and existing land use. Presentations also covered critical coastal processes affecting Kulhudhuffushi, such as sediment transport, shoreline morphology, and erosion patterns. In addition, a range of modelling analyses were shared, including downscaled extreme wave assessments, beach overtopping and flood threshold studies with hazard mapping, as well as hydrodynamic and morphodynamic modelling. These findings have been synthesized to inform risk reduction and climate adaptation strategies, leading to the development of draft concept designs for a more resilient east coast.

A total of 45 participants attended the hybrid workshop, representing technical experts from relevant government institutions and private sector stakeholders. Participants provided valuable feedback on the coastal studies, flood hazard maps, and proposed concept designs, contributing to the identification of a balanced approach that combines sustainable infrastructure and nature-based solutions to mitigate flood risks and strengthen coastal protection in the area.

The overarching goal of ECRFSP is to reduce the vulnerability of Maldivian island communities to climate risks by strengthening both institutional and community capacities. Under Output 2 of the project, two key studies are being conducted in Kulhudhuffushi city. The Inland Hydrology Modeling and Detailed Design Study focuses on areas prone to pluvial flooding and the island’s mangrove wetlands, while the Marine and Coastal Modeling and Detailed Design Study addresses coastal dynamics and shoreline protection.

The project is financed through a combination of grants, loans, and technical assistance from the Asian Development Fund, the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific, the Ocean Resilience Coastal Adaptation Trust Fund, and the Government of Maldives.