How Long Will it Take for Maldives to Drown?

Saturday 18th of January 2020

How Long Will it Take for Maldives to Drown?

The Maldives may lose entire islands unless it can quickly access cheap financing to fight the impact of climate change, states the Foreign Minister of Maldives.

“For small states, it is not easy,” Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid told Reuters in New Delhi. “By the time the financing is obtained, we may be underwater.”

In 2009, Former President Mohamed Nasheed held the world's first underwater cabinet meeting to focus attention on a nation that stands to suffer more than any other from global warming. "Unless something is done, my grandchildren will find these islands have completely disappeared under the waves."

The Maldives spends around $10 million annually for coastal protection works, but will need up to $8.8 billion in total to shield all of its inhabited islands.

The country needs to build sea walls, which is expensive but necessary. The United Nations has approved nearly $24 million in funding to the Maldives and some individual nations such as Japan.

“We have to beg some of these (big) emitters to provide money for us. Is that fair?” Minister said.