Climate Change Threats: Saving Sinking Maldives From The Rising Sea Levels

Climate change has been impacting several regions all around the globe. These regions include the tropical paradise referred to as Maldives, which is on the verge of sinking because of the rise in sea levels. Furthermore, its stunning coral reefs are nearing to end with its bleaching. To fight these consequences of climate change, the government has conceptualized geoengineering projects.

The Republic of Maldives is a South Asian island country situated in the southwest of India and Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. It is considered the smallest Asian country with about 298 square kilometers (115 sq. mi.) and a population of about 393,500 inhabitants. It is also the world's lowest country with an average ground-level elevation of 4.5 meters above sea level. Its highest natural point that is 2.4 meters is the world's lowest country. The government pledged to make Maldives a carbon-neutral country by 2019 because of the dangers from the rising sea levels.

The new government of Maldives, under the President Abdulla Yameen, wants the nation to be steady and fight the rising of sea levels. The approach is to rent out islands and use the money to recover and build new islands that could not be flooded. People could also be moved to more flood-resistant islands when things get worst.

The government also proposes to build an artificial island called Hulhumale, which the City of Hope will lie. The island will be built with 3-meter walls above sea level. They will also pump sand from surrounding atolls and deposit it on low reefs surrounding the original lagoon.

Its target completion is in 2023. This will accommodate 130,000 people. There were eight islands that have been constructed and three more islands that are proposed, according to New Scientist. Shiham Adam, director of the Maldives Marine Research Centre, said that reclaiming islands is the real solution to the consequences of climate change, not leaving the country.