21 June 2012: During the high-level segment of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), Mohamed Waheed, President of the Republic of Maldives, announced plans for his country to be declared a marine reserve.

Waheed made the announcement during his high-level address to Rio+20, noting the Maldives would become the single largest marine reserve in the world. He said Maldives would allow only sustainable and eco-friendly fishing, and ban deep-sea, purse-seine and other destructive fishing techniques. Waheed expressed the hope that the marine reserve will be in place within five years. [IISD RS Meeting Coverage]