Maldives wants to save for a very rainy day

[iinfi]

Maldives wants to save for a very rainy day

The Maldives’s newly elected President said in an interview on Monday that his government would begin saving to buy a new homeland in case global warming causes the country to disappear into the sea.
Beloved by tourists for their white sandy beaches, palm trees and clear waters, the 1,192 coral islands that make up the Indian Ocean country risk devastation by rising sea levels caused by climate change.
Mohamed ‘Anni’ Nasheed, who won the Maldives’s first democratic presidential election last month, told The Guardian that his government would start putting aside a part of its billion-dollar annual tourism income in case the worst happens. “We can do nothing to stop climate change on our own and so we have to buy land elsewhere. It’s an insurance policy for the worst possible outcome,’’ he told the newspaper.
He added, “We do not want to leave the Maldives, but we also do not want to be climate refugees living in tents for decades.’’
Nasheed said he had already broached the subject with a number of countries and found them to be “receptive’’. India and Sri Lanka are targets because they have similar cultures and climates, while vast Australia is also an option.
He told the newspaper he intended to create a ‘sovereign wealth fund’ from the money generated by tourism, much like the Arab states have with their oil revenues. “Kuwait might invest in companies—we will invest in land,’’ he said.
Outgoing president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Asia’s longest-serving leader, launched a book in April to highlight the threat to the Maldives posed by global warming.
He said at the time that they could only adapt to the problem by relocating citizens to safer islands. The alternative—building protective walls on the 193 inhabited islands—was too expensive. AGENCIES

instead of jus sitting and watching this bloke has decided to act. easiest option wud v been to seek asylum elsewhere after everything happens, but he wants some place where his people can call home ... hats off to him

[m-jeri]

^^^

Its home... No matter what happens...they will be there until they are floating...

[Charan]

Just saw it on the news, the Maldives pres is so young , he know maldives cant survive against the force of nature. Hats off

[kumarmohit]

Now that reminds me of the last time someone else tried to buy a country!

[apoorva84]

The future's uncertain, the end is always near-Jim Morrison

[mehra.rakesh]

The sea levels will rise by 30cm in next 10 years and a max 1000cm in next 75 years... LOLZ how will a whole country drown unless theres an earthquake ???

[iinfi]

The highest land point on the Maldives is 2.4m, with the average being only 1.5 m above sea level. Current estimates place sea level rise at 59 cm by the year 2100.
Source: wiki

[QwertyManiac]

Originally Posted by Charan

Just saw it on the news, the Maldives pres is so young , he know maldives cant survive against the force of nature. Hats off

In his words, force of the rich countries.

[comp@ddict]

Read the article on paper, well

Doobti MAldives ko naie jagah!

[azzu]

wooow thats an intresting plan wud he really buy an Land ??and how much wil it be ?>

[red_devil]

so what are they going to actually buy enough land to house all their citizens ??


tsk tsk.. tell the president that real estate is getting cheaper in Bangalore now