The government of the Indian Ocean nation of Maldives held a cabinet meeting underwater on Saturday to call for global action on climate change. Maldives has a particularly dire stake in the battle to avert global warming as the lowest-lying nation on the planet, with islands averaging only 7 feet above sea level.
At a press conference following Saturday’s meeting, Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed – a key messenger in TckTckTck partner 350.org’s global awareness campaign - was asked what would happen if the Copenhagen climate summit fails to produce a strong commitment to science-based emissions reductions. Nasheed replied matter-of-factly, "We are going to die."
Nasheed and his cabinet ministers held the half-hour meeting underwater to sign a document calling on all nations to cut their carbon emissions. They hoped to send a loud, clear message that the climate change conference in Copenhagen this December cannot be allowed to fail. The event earned excellent media coverage worldwide, including BBC News, CNN, AP, and Al Jazeera.
"We're now actually trying to send our message, let the world know what is happening, and what will happen to the Maldives if climate change is not checked," President Nasheed said.
Scientists predict that rising sea levels caused by melting polar ice caps will likely swamp this Indian Ocean archipelago within a century unless the world takes strong action to curb carbon emissions.
"If the Maldives cannot be saved today we do not feel that there is much of a chance for the rest of the world," Nasheed said.
The Maldives has pledged to become the world's first carbon-neutral nation within a decade, no small accomplishment for a population of more than 350,000 spread out across 1,192 coral islands.
"What we are trying to make people realize is that the Maldives is a frontline state. This is not merely an issue for the Maldives but for the world," Nasheed said.
If all else fails, President Nasheed is planning for the worst. Last year he announced the launch of a relocation fund to buy a new homeland for the Maldivian people if their islands disappear below the sea.
Unless real progress is made in Copenhagen toward strong international action, the Maldivians may become the largest group of climate refugees anywhere in the world.
Next weekend, Maldives’ call to action will be echoed by citizens participating in 350.org’s International Day of Climate Action in more than 160 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Burundi, Nigeria, Mongolia, Cambodia, Macedonia, and El Salvador. October 24 will be the largest day of environmental action in history. Read more about this exciting day and get involved.
