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Maldives - the direct impacts of climate change

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Welcome back,

Today we’re looking at the direct impacts of the climate crisis. The main reason why people don’t believe in climate change is that they can’t see it with their own eyes. So, we’re going to have a look at the Maldives where the effects of climate change become more obvious with every passing year.

Maldives

The full name of the Maldives is The Republic of the Maldives. It is an independent country made up of about 1 200 islands in the North Indian Ocean. The northernmost island is situated 370 miles away from the mainland (India). The islands are actually the tips of an ancient volcanic mountain range that is now almost completely submerged. In fact, the highest point is 1.8m-2.4m above sea level with the average elevation being 1m above sea level. The islands have a large tourism industry, due to the stunning nature found on and around the islands. 500 000 - 1 500 000 tourists visit the islands each year. This is mainly 'nature tourism'. The Maldives also have a fish industry, which brings less than 10% of their GDP.

Rising temperatures

The rising water temperatures caused by climate change are a massive threat to the Maldives. It leads to the bleaching and death of the stunning coral reefs around the islands. These coral reefs are not only a driving factor in the tourism industry but also protect the islands from storms and larger waves. So without these coral reefs, the Maldives will be at higher risk of flooding. The reefs also provide food and shelter for fish. So if the coral reefs go, the fishing industry would shrink, which would have a massive economic impact.

Rising sea levels

Arguably, the biggest threat is rising sea levels. The sea is estimated to rise 10-100cm by 2100. Seeing as the islands have an average height of 1m (100cm), almost the entire country will be submerged by the end of this century and any remaining bits of land will be at very high risk of annual flooding. The climate crisis is also fueling more and more 'natural' disasters. The islands are at high risk of flooding due to tsunamis, hurricanes and other large storms. The rising sea level could also contaminate fresh drinking water with seawater. This will lead to disease outbreaks.



Basically, the Republic of Maldives is in great danger due to the climate crisis. To make it even sadder, they are not proportionally responsible for it. There are many other places at risk of similar fates.

Next year, we will be discontinuing the Top Tips series. It has been a cool series to write but now it's time for something new. Here's the vote so that you can decide what we do next year!

Your Green World Blog Team💚


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This image, owned by Elena N (on flickr.com) is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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