Rising sea levels threaten to engulf the Maldives, where fresh water is already running out, but the Indian Ocean archipelago’s new president is opposed to any relocation of its population abroad.
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However, in an interview with AFP, President Mohamed Muizzu, a 45-year-old civil engineer trained in the United Kingdom, promises an ambitious program of land rehabilitation and island elevation that has been criticized by environmental groups.
Around 80% of the Maldives archipelago lies less than one meter above sea level, making it one of the countries most at risk from sea level rise due to climate change.
The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned in 2007 that a rise of 18 to 59 cm would make the Maldives virtually uninhabitable by the end of the century.
“The fresh water is running out”
Former President Mohamed Nasheed (2008-2015) began his term in office by warning his fellow citizens that they risk becoming the world’s first environmental refugees.
He worked for the Maldives to save up to be able to buy land in neighboring India, Sri Lanka or even further away in Australia to resettle the population.
But his successor promises his fellow citizens that they will not leave their homeland.
“If we need to increase the living space for housing or economic activities, we can do it,” Muizzu told AFP on the capital island of Malé, which is protected by concrete walls.
“We are self-sufficient and able to take care of ourselves,” he argues.
In early November, Australia announced it would gradually offer climate asylum to the citizens of Tuvalu, a small archipelago in the Pacific that is threatened with extinction due to rising sea levels.
But for Mr Muizzu there is no question of following this example. “We have absolutely no need to buy or even rent land from any country,” he says “categorically.”
The dikes would guarantee “a safe island,” he says.
The archipelago, made up of 1,192 coral islands scattered over about 800 kilometers in the Indian Ocean, is a luxury tourism mecca and a popular destination for celebrities and wealthy individuals from around the world. According to the World Bank, tourism accounts for almost a third of the economy.
The land is contaminated with salt, which increases in salinity and spoils the fresh water.
“Every island in the Maldives is running out of fresh water,” Shauna Aminath, 38, environment minister in the previous government, told AFP.
Often “rushed” projects
Almost all of the archipelago’s 187 inhabited islands rely on expensive desalination plants, she said.
“Finding ways to protect our islands is part of our efforts to adapt to these changes,” she added.
A third of the country’s 380,000 residents live on the small capital island of Malé, “one of the most densely populated areas in the world,” with 65,700 people per square kilometer, according to the Environment Ministry.
A huge dam already protects the city, but the new president believes there is potential for expansion elsewhere.
Rehabilitation projects have already increased the country’s area (300 km2) by around 10% over the last four decades.
Mr Muizzu played a key role in this process and served as Minister of Construction for seven years. He oversaw the expansion of the artificial island of Hulhumale, home to around 100,000 people and twice the size of Malé.
However, environmental and human rights organizations warn that this cleanup program, necessary as it is, must be carried out with caution.
In a recent report, Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused authorities of failing to comply with their own environmental regulations, saying cleanup projects were “often rushed” and lacked adequate restraint measures.
“The government of Maldives has ignored or undermined environmental protection laws, increasing the risk of flooding and other damage to island communities,” HRW said.