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Maldives, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Marshall islands are in danger of climate change. Male, the capital of Maldives, was submerged in 2024 due to increase in sea level. Displacement of people here is possible in future.
Maldives is not only facing erosion, but its existence is also in danger.1 m Maldives is at a lower height than
80 percent of the land of Maldives is situated at a height of less than one meter above sea level. Because of which Maldives is not only facing erosion, but its existence is also in danger. As the climate change is intensifying, small island countries like Maldives, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Marshal Island are in its front line. But is the Maldives really drowning? And if the land disappears, what will happen to this country, its people and its place in the world?
Know how much sea level has increased
The Maldives is not really drowning, but it is coming from the rising oceans in danger. The global sea level has increased by about 20 cm since 1900. Which has recently increased to 4 mm per year due to the expansion of icebergs and hot water. For Maldives where the highest point is 2.4 meters. This means that even slight increase can cause disaster. According to estimates, there may be an increase of 30–50 cm by 2050. That is, in the worst condition, the sea can be submerged by 77 percent of the land by 2100.
The capital was submerged in 2024
The storms are also getting intensified. Cyclone and sharp tides are destroying the beaches and contaminating the source of freshwater with salt water. Infrastructure structures are also being destroyed. In 2024, strong waves submerged the capital Male. Due to which thousands of people were displaced and loss of millions. Natural obstacles of the islands, coral reefs are fading with hot water, causing the coasts to open. Agriculture is being affected by salinization of soil. Therefore, tourism which is 28 percent of the GDP. Due to the disappearance of the beaches, the economic lifeline of this country has become. If the situation remains like this, then it can also face a crisis in future.
It is not limited to Maldives only. Pacific and small islands across the Indian Ocean have to be the same. The nine islands of Tuvalu, in which 11,000 people live will not be able to live until 2050. The President of Kiribati has already bought land in Fiji. The Marshal Islands are struggling with radio active problems arising from American nuclear tests. Which has become even more complicated by the rising sea level. These countries which make negligible contributions to emissions, are suffering the crisis created by industrial giants like America and China.
If the land disappears, its results will be destructive. There will be displacement first. 5,40,000 residents of Maldives can become refugees. They can take shelter in India, Sri Lanka or high areas of Australia. Rehabilitation breaks communities. Imagine that the fishermen are left without the sea. Local languages, traditions like Bodu Dhol and the folklore associated with the islands disappear into exile. It is very disastrous financially. Tourism employs 60 percent of Maldives. The resorts will be closed without beaches. Jobs will end.
Can a nation be without land?
If the islands sink, does the existence of the nation end? International law defines a state based on four criteria. A permanent population, a certain area, an effective government and the ability of international relations. Land loss is a threat to all. The population disintegrates, the area disappears, governments move and relations become weak. But the law is not harsh. The failed state like Somalia retains its status despite anarchy. Can this flexibility also apply to ‘submerged states’. Examples of this exist, the Vatican which does not have much land. Or Nauru who leased the ground after lack of phosphate. But the sinking of a country is an unprecedented matter.
How is Maldives fighting
Small islands are not waiting for the waves. The Maldives pump the sand to elevate the islands, form sea walls and uses with floating cities. One lakh people live in the man -made island Hulhumale near Male and it is 2 meters high above sea level. President Mohammad Muizzu is promoting ‘climate-friendly’ tourism such as solar-powered resorts. The plight of Maldives is not alone. This is a preview of coastal crises everywhere from the slums of Mumbai to the banks of Miami. By 2100, about 200 million people worldwide can be displaced. For India with a 7,500 km long coastline, the risk of rising sea in low -lying areas like Sundarbans is hovering over 4 crore people.
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