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Disappearing Nation

Is the Maldives ready to bring about a change in its climate policy?

By Sajad Jatoi | December 2022


The Maldives, a tropical nation located in the Indian Ocean, is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. According to the warnings of climate scientists, the entire island nation would be submerged by the end of the 21st century unless some drastic measures are not taken both at national and global levels to control or reduce the pace at which the climate is changing.

Dubbed as a heaven on Earth, the nation now faces existential threat from the consequences of climate change mainly because of the fact that it is the lowest-lying country in the world, as 80 per cent of the 1190 coral islands are standing at less than 1 metre above sea level. What’s more, the average height of all land measures only 1 metre. In fact, the country has no surface ground which is higher than 3 metres.
In addition to the threats of being submerged in the next few decades, the Maldives also faces several other challenges.

As many as 90 per cent of the total islands are prone to floods, threatening life and livelihood of the Maldivians. As per researchers from Southampton University, the Maldives is the third most endangered island country in terms of flooding caused by climate change. Besides this, sea erosion is another cause of concern for them because it threatens around 97 per cent of the islands. These islands don’t have freshwater reservoirs. People usually make use of rainwater for both drinking and agricultural purposes.

Given the vulnerability the Maldives is faced with, the country has been striving to deal with the environmental impacts of climate change for some time now. It has tried to take measures in terms of adapting to, and mitigating the consequences.

In 2009, the then president Mohamed Nasheed had decided to cut all CO2 emissions and go carbon neutral by shifting to renewable energy. This may not sound convincing enough in terms of having much impact on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; however, it was a very good initiative, as the president wanted to lead and encourage other countries to do the same. As some people said, it would improve the moral standing of the Maldives.

However, in 2017, the then president Abdulla Yameen assessed the progress and success of Mohamed Nasheed’s plan of going carbon neutral, and came to the conclusion that the plan, though ambitious enough, was not of much a help in tackling climate change. So, he decided to make the Maldives a low carbon country, instead of it being hundred per cent neutral.


The Maldivian government has been working on various plans to tackle climate change; however, it is time it changed its policy priorities and took on the climate change head-on. But it is important to ask whether it is ready to bring about a change in its policy priorities? Does it have the resources? Will it be able to tackle this existential threat? Whatever it wants to do, it needs to do now because it is a race against time.

While the government of the Maldives needs to do more, it is good to know that both the government and the people of Maldives are serious about climate change. They are striving to mitigate and adapt to the adverse environmental impacts caused by the change in climate. For instance, recently the government struck a deal with a property developer Dutch Docklands to build a floating city. Under the project, around five thousand houses would be constructed which would include shops, schools and houses. The houses would have the capacity to accommodate as many as 20,000 people.

The project would be finished in 2027, and is being termed a new ‘hope’ for the Maldivians because no matter how high the sea level rises, their city of ‘hope’ would always be above the surface of water due to its unique and innovative design. The Maldivians need these types of initiatives; however, this should not be allowed to underestimate the importance of land. Even if the cities are floating, people still need land for various reasons such as agriculture and fresh water.

Besides building floating cities, the Maldives is also working on protecting and promoting the growth of coral reefs because they have been damaged by the rise in sea temperatures. The government, along with communities, is using 3D technology to print and plant species of corals which are a bit more resistant to heat. This would be helpful in protecting the islands because coral reefs serve as a defence system, as they reduce erosion and tend to absorb about 97 per cent of wave energy.

The Maldives cannot deal with climate change on its own because their contribution to it is negligible. Hence, countries around the world, especially the developed ones, need to take action. Further delay would prove fatal for the Maldives as well as other island nations.

Before COP 27, the environment minister Aminath Shauna said: “Our expectations of COP this year are particularly, very high, because we have seen what the IPCC report says about what it (climate change) could mean to small island nations.” She further added, “The difference between 1.5 degrees and 2 degrees, for us, is a death sentence”

The Maldives, though small, is by no means a less important country. It is one of the most prestigious travel destinations in the tropical area. Besides, it has a history as it has existed for more than last 2500 years. It is a world in its own right, as it has a language and culture of its own. So, it should not be allowed to sink. The world must protect the country from disappearing.

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