Mission
The Maldives Coral Institute is a science-led body that aims to help coral reefs to survive and adapt to the changing climate. Our mission is to research, develop and implement the means to build coral resilience, mitigate adverse human impact and save our corals and reefs from irreversible loss and degradation.
Goals
1
Using the latest science to help corals survive future climate conditions.
- To identify areas of greater coral resilience and vulnerability in the Maldives and direct protection and management measures to those places.
- To research and understand the root causes of greater coral resilience or vulnerability through scientific research in the lab and in the field.
- To research and test methods of coral propagation through international collaboration, seeking the means to produce corals more resistant and resilient to coral bleaching.
- Develop and trial methods of reef restoration, to promote recovery of degraded reefs, and restore critical ecosystem functioning.
- Support the design, implementation and management of a national network of protected areas to better safeguard critical coral reef habitats.
- Identify threats to corals and seek means to ameliorate them through legislation, regulation and community involvement.
- Contribute to the development of an expanded and responsive national programme for reef monitoring, harnessing the power of resorts and citizen science.
- To build national capacity for scientific research and understanding of coral reefs.
- To create a national hub for coral reef research with a distributed network of partner facilities across the country.
2
Promoting sustainable development with coral-friendly infrastructure
- To mitigate the impacts of infrastructure developments through targeted relocation of corals to areas of safety.
- To research global best practices in coastal development – i.e. coral friendly, no regrets practices – and promote their application within the Maldives.
- To research alternative, more environmentally benign, approaches to coastal protection based on restoration of creation of natural habitats, such as mangroves.
3
Raising awareness, understanding and appreciation of the importance of coral reefs to national security and human well-being in the Maldives.
- To organise an annual Coral Festival in the Maldives.
- To facilitate international scientific research on Maldivian coral reefs in partnership with national scientists and conservationists, and promote public outreach during and following such expeditions.
- To create and distribute media for public audiences and decision makers around coral reef importance and their protection and management needs.
- To provide technical briefings on corals reefs to key decision makers.
4
To raise the profile of coral reefs and oceans in international affairs and promote global and regional efforts to ensure their protection and survival.
- To support and facilitate high level participation in regional and global networks concerned with managing and mitigating environmental impacts that affect coral reefs, particularly climate change.
- To develop and participate in international networks of nations dependent on coral reefs to seek solutions to their shared problems.
“I won’t tell Maldivians that our country is finished and their children will live as climate refugees. As a nation, we reject that fate. This is a moment for radical action, not hopelessness”
Mohamed Nasheed | Founder
In the News
BBC - Our Founder and Chairperson is featured in Sir David Attenborough’s Planet Earth III episode 8, Heroes.
ABC News - Scientists say 80% of the Maldives could be uninhabitable by 2050 Read More
Press Release: Maldives Coral Institute to Hold ‘Coral Festival 2023’ in Addu, Hithadhoo
Le Monde - Le sable, richesse et malédiction des Maldives Read More
Updates
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