President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has ratified the third amendment to the Environment Protection and Preservation Act of the Maldives. Parliament of the Maldives passed the amendment bill with votes from 66 parliamentarians.
The amendment requires local councils to adhere to regulations established in the environment protection act when implementing the services provided by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Technology at the city, atoll or island level. The amendment also requires the ministry to establish the regulation for providing services at the city, atoll or island level and to provide financial assistance to local councils implementing the services.
The ministry is also required to establish regulations to follow when the ministry or relevant government institutions provide financial assistance to the local councils.
Furthermore, the ministry is required to publish the regulations in the Government Gazette within six months of ratification.