The Maldives faces a great many threats due to the effects of climate change as the lowest altitude country on the planet. Here’s how the island nation is adapting to this reality.
An Ancient Threat
As a country that is made up of 1200 tiny islands that are located at an altitude of less than 2m above sea level, the Maldives has always been under the threat of submersion. The alarming figures regarding climate change and its impact on sea levels, increasing temperatures and potential natural disasters have truly brought home the dangers the paradise islands may face in the years to come. Instead of bracing for impact, the Maldivian government and local businesses are taking a proactive approach to adapt to these new realities.
Building Walls to Stay Intact
One of the most ambitious projects that the Maldivian authorities have taken on as a result of global climate change is the construction of a seawall around its capital city and island Male. Believed to prevent soil erosion due to rising sea levels, the concrete tetrapod wall is intended to protect the country’s largest city and political epicentre from dissolving into the ocean.
The Artificial Island
The construction of the man-made island Hulhumale is another initiative launched by the government to stave off the threat of submersion. The Maldives is an island that’s located at a higher altitude, and its proximity to Male and its wide open roads, schools, hospitals and other facilities is said to make Hulhumale the ultimate refuge.
An Eco-Friendly Approach
Resorts and hotels such as Adaaran Select Meedhupparu among many others have also jumped on the eco-friendly bandwagon, introducing waste management systems that diminish the need for a centralised garbage disposal location. Resorts that were previously famed for Maldives water sports activities are now popular for their efforts in reducing pollution.