Cost benefit study of disaster risk mitigation measures in three islands in the Maldives

This report reviews the current Safer Islands Programme (SIP) concept established in the Maldives following the tsunami and its contribution to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), and puts a figure on the costs and benefits of climate change adaptation and DRR of three islands, based on implementing a range of risk management measures to develop these as "safer" islands. It is aimed to provide opportunities for further research and applying them to learning-by-doing activities to strengthen evidence-based decision making and building resilience of the communities impacted by climate change.

The report also builds upon the practices and lessons of building up Disaster Risk Profiles and developing Detailed Island Risk Assessment to high risk hazards, such as tsunamis, swell waves, and rainfall flooding on the three islands. It highlights the greatest threat to the Maldives to be sea-level rises, which are slow-onset and can be monitored, while indicating the constant need for additional land for expansion for the major population centres. Hence, it stresses the need to explore “softer” options such as improved settlement planning and early-warning systems that allow us to adjust our approach based on events, while reducing the impact of natural hazards.