Versions
- 2025-07-31 (2)
- 2025-07-31 (1)
Keywords
Data Governance
Data Management
Environmental Policy
Small Island Nations
How to Cite
Abstract
Environmental data collected independently for research or development projects presents a valuable opportunity for Least Developed Countries and dispersed Small Island Nations (LDCs/SINs) to obtain regular, long-term, information about their ecosystems without the typical financial and logistical challenges. However, effectively utilizing this independently collected environmental data requires a robust data governance approach which establishes the principles of data sovereignty. This study evaluates the data governance principles and data management mechanisms needed to gather, host, and disseminate de-centrally collected environmental data so that it can be used for sustainable development and informed decision-making. Using the 1200+ dispersed islands of the Maldives as a case study, this research examines the existing national environmental regulatory framework of the country within the context of environmental data management, to better understand the challenges associated with governance of de-centrally collected data and thereby derive recommendations for improvement. Limited technical infrastructure and capacity to securely store and host environmental data is identified as potentially being at the root of a lack of enforcement of existing regulations that govern the consolidation of data currently collected by third parties in the Maldives. Moreover, where data is available, conflicting mandates within the legal framework of the roles of different levels of government create barriers to collaboration and data sharing, leading to duplication of collection and management efforts. These challenges appear to be commonly faced by other LDCs/SINs. Recommendations for improvement included legally defining government roles, developing a national data management system, and reforming the research permit system. The results of this study provide a reference for other LDCs/ SINs on mechanisms to efficiently gather, host, and make accessible data collected within national borders by independent researchers or during development activities, so that it can be used to effectively manage the environment and safeguard their environment, culture, and economy.
References
Adam, M. (2011). Environmental impact assessment for the proposed resort redevelopment project on K. Vilivaru, South Malé Atoll.
Addu development project: About the Project. (2022). https://addudevelopment.mv/about-the-project
Alboaie, S., & Cosovan, D. (2017). Private data system enabling self-sovereign storage managed by executable choreographies. 83–98.
Andréfouët, S., Rilwan, Y., & Hamel, M. A. (2012). Habitat mapping for conservation planning in Baa Atoll, Republic of Maldives. Atoll Research Bulletin.
Asase, A., Mzumara-Gawa, T. I., Owino, J. O., Peterson, A. T., & Saupe, E. (2022). Replacing “parachute science” with “global science” in ecology and conservation biology. Conservation Science and Practice, 4(5), e517.
Aston, J. (1999). Experiences of coastal management in the Pacific Islands. Ocean & Coastal Management, 42(6–7), 483–501.
Avas (2024) ‘Significant data loss due to fire: Housing Minister’, 14 December. Available at: https://avas.mv/en/146552 (Accessed: 22 February 2025).
Bacmeister, J. T., Reed, K. A., Hannay, C., Lawrence, P., Bates, S., Truesdale, J. E., Rosenbloom, N., & Levy, M. (2018). Projected changes in tropical cyclone activity under future warming scenarios using a high-resolution climate model. Climatic Change, 146(3), 547–560.
Beetham, E. P., & Kench, P. S. (2014). Wave energy gradients and shoreline change on Vabbinfaru platform, Maldives. Geomorphology, 209, 98–110.
Bhatt, A. (2021). Data Sovereignty-the Quintessential Model for the New World Order. Summer. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3935134
Climate Emergency Act, 9/2021 (2021).
Clissold, R., McNamara, K. E., & Westoby, R. (2020). Barriers to adaptation: Insights from Laamu Atoll, Maldives. Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 61(2), 381–390.
Computer Crimes Act of Malaysia, Act 563 (1997).
Crawley, B., & Aston, J. (2003). GIS for Sustainable Coastal Zone Management in the Pacific-A Strategy. In Coastal and Marine Geo-Information Systems: Applying the Technology to the Environment (pp. 85–96). Springer.
Disaster Management Act, 28/2015 (2015)
Duvat, V. K. (2020). Human-driven atoll island expansion in the Maldives. Anthropocene, 32, 100265.
Environmental Impact Assessment Report Regulations, 2012/R-27 (2012).
Environment Protection Agency, (n.d.), Environment Impact Assessment Reports, https://en.epa.gov.mv/reports
Environment Protection and Preservation Act of Maldives, 4/93 (1993)
Fisheries Act of the Maldives, 14/2019 (2019)
Gischler, E., Hudson, J. H., & Pisera, A. (2008). Late Quaternary reef growth and sea level in the Maldives (Indian Ocean). Marine Geology, 250(1–2), 104–113.
Global Environment Facility. (2020). Enhancing National Development through Environmentally Reslient Island (ENDhERI). https://www.thegef.org/projects-operations/projects/9668
Harvey, B. J., Nash, K. L., Blanchard, J. L., & Edwards, D. P. (2018). Ecosystem-based management of coral reefs under climate change. Ecology and Evolution, 8(12), 6354–6368.
International Trade Controls on Endangered Species Act, 13/2022 (2022)
Islam, S. N., Reinstädtler, S., Reza, M. S., Afroze, S., & Azad, A. K. (2023). Climate change versus livelihoods, heritage and ecosystems in small Island states of the Pacific: A case study on Tuvalu. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 25(8), 7669–7712.
Jaleel, A. (2013). The status of the coral reefs and the management approaches: The case of the Maldives. Ocean & Coastal Management, 82, 104–118.
Kench, P. S., & Brander, R. W. (2006). Response of reef island shorelines to seasonal climate oscillations: South Maalhosmadulu atoll, Maldives. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 111(F1). https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JF000323
Limones, N., Marzo-Artigas, J., Wijnen, M., & Serrat-Capdevila, A. (2020). Evaluating drought risk in data-scarce contexts. The case of southern Angola. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 11(S1), 44–67.
Lüdmann, T., Kalvelage, C., Betzler, C., Fürstenau, J., & Hübscher, C. (2013). The Maldives, a giant isolated carbonate platform dominated by bottom currents. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 43, 326–340.
Mackay, S., Brown, R., Gonelevu, M., Pelesikoti, N., Kocovanua, T., Iaken, R., Iautu, F., Tuiafitu-Malolo, L., Fulivai, S., & Lepa, M. (2019).
Overcoming barriers to climate change information management in small island developing states: Lessons from pacific SIDS. Climate Policy, 19(1), 125–138.
Maldives Bureau of Statistics (2021) National Strategy for the Development of Statistics 2021 – 2030. Maldives Bureau of Statistics Available at: https://statisticsmaldives.gov.mv/nbs/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/NSDS-Maldives.pdf (Accessed: 5 March 2025).
Maldives Bureau of Statistics (2024) List of Designated Statistics. Maldives Bureau of Statistics. Available at: https://statisticsmaldives.gov.mv/mbs/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/List-of-Designated-Statistics-2024-131124.pdf (Accessed: 5 March 2025).
Maldives Energy Act, 18/2021 (2021)
Maldives Statistics Act, 16/2021 (2021)
Martin, D. J., Howard, A., Hutchinson, R., McGree, S., & Jones, D. A. (2015). Development and implementation of a climate data management system for western Pacific small island developing states. Meteorological Applications, 22(2), 273–287.
Matheen, N., & Kench, P. S. (2023). Morphological Response of Coral Reef Islands to the 2019 Extreme Positive Indian Ocean Dipole Event. Journal of Coastal Research. https://doi.org/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-23-00069.1
McCubbin, S., Smit, B., & Pearce, T. (2015). Where does climate fit? Vulnerability to climate change in the context of multiple stressors in Funafuti, Tuvalu. Global Environmental Change, 30, 43–55.
McNamara, K. E., Clissold, R., Piggott-McKellar, A., & Buggy, L. (2016). Vulnerability and vulnerable groups: Baseline, indicators and assessments for Laamu Atoll, Maldives.
Ministry of Planning and National Development. (2008). Official Atlas of the Maldives. http://trove.nl a.gov. au/work/ 37 096542?q&sort=holdings+desc&_=1500963373617&versionId=48188455
MMRI. (2024). The Coral Database. https://www.coraldatabase.gov.mv/
Naseer, A., & Hatcher, B. G. (2004). Inventory of the Maldives’ coral reefs using morphometrics generated from Landsat ETM+ imagery. Coral Reefs, 23, 161– 168.
Papadopoulos, G.A., Caputo, R., McAdoo, B., Pavlides, S., Karastathis, V., Fokaefs, A., Orfanogiannaki, K., Valkaniotis, S., 2006. The large tsunami of 26 December 2004: Field observations and eyewitnesses accounts from Sri Lanka, Maldives Is. and Thailand. Earth, planets and space 58, 233–241.
Pisapia, C., Burn, D., Yoosuf, R., Najeeb, A., Anderson, K., & Pratchett, M. (2016). Coral recovery in the central Maldives archipelago since the last major mass-bleaching, in 1998. Scientific Reports, 6(1), 34720.
Plants Protection Act, 12/2011 (2011)
Privacy and Personal Data Protection Bill (draft). https://www.environment.gov. mv/v2/en/download/20154
Regulation on the conduction of Marine Research in the Maldives (2020) 2020/R- 100.
Scott, I., & Gong, T. (2021). Coordinating government silos: Challenges and opportunities. Global Public Policy and Governance, 1(1), 20–38.
The Edition (2024) ‘Housing ministry building ablaze’, 12 December. Available at: https://edition.mv/mihaaru/38116 (Accessed: 22 February 2025).
Snipp, C. M. (2016). What does data sovereignty imply: What does it look like. In Indigenous data sovereignty: Toward an agenda (pp. 39–55). ANU Press Canberra, AU.
Stefanoudis, P. V., Licuanan, W. Y., Morrison, T. H., Talma, S., Veitayaki, J., & Woodall, L. C. (2021). Turning the tide of parachute science. Current Biology, 31(4), R184–R185.
Techera, E. J., & Cannell-Lunn, M. (2019). A review of environmental law in Maldives with respect to conservation, biodiversity, fisheries and tourism. Asia Pacific Journal of Environmental Law, 22(2), 228–256.
Thaunoo-Chadee, P., & Sham-Jacmohum, S. (2007). Status of Environment Statistics in Mauritius: Country Report. Ministry of Environment and National Development Unit, Central Statistics Unit.
The President’s Office. (2019). Maldives Strategic Action Plan (2019—2023). https:// storage.googleapis.com/presidency.gov.mv/Documents/SAP2019-2023.pdf
The President’s Office. (2023). Press release Ref: 2023-225: The President stresses the importance of integrating environmental conservation into our daily routines. https:// www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv/Press/Article/28444
Turner, I.L., Leaman, C.K., Harley, M.D., Thran, M.C., David, D.R., Splinter, K.D., Matheen, N., Hansen, J.E., Cuttler, M.V., Greenslade, D.J., 2024. A framework for national-scale coastal storm hazards early warning. Coastal Engineering 192, 104571.
UNFPA Maldives. (2016). Digitalizing data for Laamu Atoll. https://maldives. unfpa.org/en/news/digitalizing-data-laamu-atoll
Wadey, M., Brown, S., Nicholls, R.J., Haigh, I., 2017. Coastal flooding in the Maldives: an assessment of historic events and their implications. Natural Hazards 89, 131–159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-017-2957-5
Waste Management Act, 24/2022 (2022)
Water Solutions. (2014). Environmental impact assessment for the proposed resort development at Olhahali, Kaafu Atoll, Maldives.
Wille, B. (2023). Atoll engineering in the Maldives: Shifting priorities in crafting archipelagic landscapes. International Review of Environmental History, 9(1), 75–99.
Zhu, C., Liu, H., Wang, X., Meng, Q., & Wang, R. (2017). Engineering geotechnical investigation for coral reef site of the cross-sea bridge between Malé and Airport Island. Ocean Engineering, 146, 298–310.