MDV-TCCF Plastics Circularity

B0416 - Maldives - Male

REPORTING PERIOD   2024- 2027



Narrative























REPORT DATE: 16-04-2026

 

 

  1. Executive Summary

  1. Background


  1. Key Results Achieved

 

  • Level of Reporting:

    Output level results

    Project Outputs:

    Output 1: Stakeholders engaged, data collected, strategies developed and roadmaps established to replicate and scale up successful results from previous TCCF interventions in a gender-sensitive manner

    Contributing Outcomes:

    Outcome 2 By 2026, national and subnational institutions and communities in Maldives, particularly at-risk populations, are better able to manage natural resources and achieve enhanced resilience to climate change and disaster impacts, natural and human-induced hazards, and environmental degradation, inclusively and in a sustainable manner

    Contributing Outputs:

    MDV_Output 2.3 Policies, regulatory frameworks and capacities at national/subnational levels strengthened for sustainable management of water and waste resources

    Progress Note:

    Under output 1 the project has plans to conduct waste management workshops at an atoll/regional level. With school holidays, ramadan and local council elections in Q1 (and early Q2), the project had decided to postpone the workshops for after the council elections, as it made sense to provide this support to incoming councils rather than the outgoing councils. The project has had internal discussions with WAMCO on the content of the workshop, one direction that the discussions have moved towards is having island specific workshops to develop actionable plans for waste management on the island. The key problem identified for the current Island Waste Management Plan[s] is that these are very superficial and does not have measurable targets or actionable tasks, largely because the councils lack the technical capacity and know-how to develop such detailed plans. The project is very well positioned to provide this support and it is a good opportunity to build on the model island concept to support Maafushi Island to develop a comprehensive waste management plan. Through this process we aim to develop a framework that other islands can use to develop similar plans. This work will commence late Q2 early Q3 after the new councils are sworn in and have completed the transition process.

  • Level of Reporting:

    Output level results

    Project Outputs:

    Output 2: Best Environmental Practices (BEP) and Best Available Technologies (BAT) for plastics waste management pilot and circular approaches to plastics management assessed, replicated, and/or scaled up, and the accompanying capacities strengthened

    Contributing Outcomes:

    Outcome 2 By 2026, national and subnational institutions and communities in Maldives, particularly at-risk populations, are better able to manage natural resources and achieve enhanced resilience to climate change and disaster impacts, natural and human-induced hazards, and environmental degradation, inclusively and in a sustainable manner

    Contributing Outputs:

    MDV_Output 2.3 Policies, regulatory frameworks and capacities at national/subnational levels strengthened for sustainable management of water and waste resources

    Progress Note:

    Under Output 2, the project has drafted “Hallu Vashi,” a solutions‑mapping exercise aimed at identifying and showcasing best environmental practices in waste management across the Maldives. The call for applications and nominations of solutions is planned to be announced in Q2, with documentation of selected solutions and the closed call for proposals also expected to commence within the same quarter. To advance infrastructure components, an engineer has been hired to support the solar infrastructure process, including permitting, system design, RFQ development, and installation. The project is actively pursuing 100% renewable energy integration for the Maafushi Waste Management Center. Following the recent local council elections, discussions will need to resume with the incoming council leadership to rebuild engagement and secure community buy‑in for implementation moving forward. After discussions with WAMCO project has decided to conduct feasibility assessment of plastic processing by WAMCO, looking at what are equipment, what are the market linkages and business model that can be adopted.

  • Level of Reporting:

    Output level results

    Project Outputs:

    Output 3: Information, Outreach built, and knowledge management implemented

    Contributing Outcomes:

    Outcome 2 By 2026, national and subnational institutions and communities in Maldives, particularly at-risk populations, are better able to manage natural resources and achieve enhanced resilience to climate change and disaster impacts, natural and human-induced hazards, and environmental degradation, inclusively and in a sustainable manner

    Contributing Outputs:

    MDV_Output 2.3 Policies, regulatory frameworks and capacities at national/subnational levels strengthened for sustainable management of water and waste resources

    Progress Note:

    The project focuses on strengthening institutional and community capacities for sustainable plastics and waste management through inclusive and accessible knowledge‑sharing. Key activities include: (i) the development of information products and practical guidelines on plastics and waste management that are gender‑responsive and tailored to the needs of diverse stakeholders; and (ii) the translation and uploading of training modules to the local council learning portal (Kiyeveni). These modules will draw on knowledge, tools, and best practices generated across the ten countries participating in this regional initiative. Implementation of these activities is planned for Year 3, with training resources made available to both WAMCO through its Academy and to local councils via Kiyeveni. This dual dissemination approach ensures that both operational and governance‑level actors are equipped with the skills and knowledge required to support effective and equitable waste management practices. The project is currently working closely with WAMCO to identify institutional and operational capacity gaps to inform the design of these learning interventions.
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  1. Key Challenges Encountered

 

  • Level of Reporting:

    Project level results

    Contributing Outcomes:

    Contributing Outputs:

    Progress Note:

    During this quarter, progress was constrained by regulatory hurdles related to renewable energy permitting and approvals, which delayed the finalization of technical specifications for the planned solar installation. This has now been mitigated through the engagement of a specialized engineer, and technical work is progressing. Implementation was further slowed by external factors, including extended public holidays, reduced government working hours during Ramadan, and the local council election and campaigning period in Q1, which significantly limited engagement with government entities and island councils and required the strategic postponement of several activities to Q2. Data collection continues to be challenging due to the absence of standardized weighing infrastructure across project islands and inconsistent plastic measurement practices. To address this, UNDP and WAMCO have agreed to develop uniform guidelines for waste measurement and reporting based on available systems, to be formalized through an MOU.
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  1. Project Risks and Issues

Overall project risks remain the same

  1. Lessons Learned

 
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  1. Conclusions and Way Forward

Overall, the project remains well aligned with its intended outcomes and has made strategic progress despite external constraints affecting implementation timelines. Key foundations have been laid across all outputs, including the design of targeted capacity‑building approaches for local councils, the development of a national solutions‑mapping framework (Hallu Vashi), and the initiation of technical work to advance renewable energy integration at the Maafushi Waste Management Center. Engagement with WAMCO continues to be a central pillar of implementation, ensuring that interventions remain grounded in operational realities and institutional needs. Looking ahead, the project will prioritize the resumption and acceleration of deferred activities following the completion of local council transition processes. Under Output 1, island‑focused waste management workshops will be initiated, beginning with Maafushi as a model island, to support the development of comprehensive, actionable Island Waste Management Plans with clear targets, roles, and timelines. Lessons from this process will inform a replicable planning framework for other islands. Under Output 2, the Hallu Vashi call for applications will be launched, alongside documentation of selected best practices, while technical work on solar infrastructure and the feasibility assessment of plastic processing by WAMCO will continue. Under Output 3, efforts will focus on refining capacity‑building content based on identified gaps, preparing knowledge products and training modules for rollout in Year 3 through both the WAMCO Academy and the Kiyeveni platform. In parallel, the project will work closely with WAMCO to finalize standardized waste measurement and reporting guidelines, formalized through an MOU, to address persistent data challenges. Sustained engagement with newly elected councils and continued technical support will be critical to maintaining momentum, ensuring ownership, and positioning the project to deliver scalable and sustainable waste management solutions in the coming implementation period.

  1. Other Reporting Requirements

 
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