Creeping seas threaten tiny island chain of Maldives

March 12, 2010
Creeping seas threaten tiny island chain of Maldives

In this Worldfocus signature story, we take another look at the potentially drastic consequences of climate change.

Some studies predict sea levels could climb six feet by the end of the century due to climate change. For the Maldives, an island chain off the southwest coast of India with a population of about 300,000, such a change would be disastrous.

For a look at how the Maldives are trying to deal with the problem, Worldfocus producer Megan Thompson traveled there recently as part of an 18-day trip sponsored by the U.N. Environmental Program and coordinated by the Alliance of Small Island States.

bookmark print

Tags: climate change, greenhouse gases, Maldives, Megan Thompson, Signature Story, small islands, UN Environmental Program

Comments

8 comments

03/24/2010 :: 10:34:46 PM
Maldives Travel Deals | Maldives Travel Deals and Vacation Packages Says:

[…] Maldives attempt to avoid catastrophic climate change | Worldfocus […]

03/20/2010 :: 11:13:43 PM
Kerry Masterson Says:

There is one case where Sid argument is valid. If the salinity of the oceans near greenland is reduced the atlantic heat conveyor will shut down bringing an ice age upon us. it is possible that that even would stop the rise of ocean levels. However, the acidification of the oceans will kill most of marines life off in the next 50 years. The H plus cation concentration has increased by 25% in the past 50 years, H plus means that organisms must dedicate more energy into shell production. Energy they do not have to burn in the long run. national conservation groups are at present collecting an freezing in liquid nitrogen samples from the worlds reefs because they will all be dead within 20 to 30 years. Fish stocks world wide are down 85% in the last 15 years. The oceans are in fact dying before our eyes. And the water level will continue to increase unless we are in for another ice age. Where-ever these people move to they better consider that the world is becoming much more lifeless due to human over poplulation, greed, and destruction. My god help us out of this mess.

Otherwise Sid is incorrect in his statement due to wishful thinking and perhaps
wanting to think the world is not in a serious position to eradicate numerouse species.

03/18/2010 :: 11:52:27 PM
Sid Profokiev Says:

Anyone who is curious and wants to know more about this subject should google Dr Mörner sea rise.” He isn’t alone in his opinions.
On a related note, I’m disappointed World Focus addresses this pseudoscience (and its plethora of affiliated advocacy groups) with such credulity.
Thank you IPCC.

03/17/2010 :: 01:33:57 PM
john miles Says:

Does everyone realize that worldfocus is about to be financially euthinized. What a shame if we let new like this slip from our fingertips. we need to work together so that world focus continues with it’s outstanding programming. contact world focus broadcasting and voice your opinions. jOHN

03/14/2010 :: 10:17:23 PM
Jacob Says:

Very sad. If they become completely engulfed would people then begin to realize?

According to this lecture given by the former CEO of “Ask.com” I saw on fora.tv the whole world basically is going to be “Waterworld” except really hot.

Couldn’t they all just save up, live on bread and water for a few months, then solar panel everything–boats, cars, roofs? Haha, aren’t things this simple?

That’d be some exemplary nation going on.

03/13/2010 :: 11:09:08 PM
kerry Masterson Says:

Enjoy them while they last, they will submerge no stopping it

03/13/2010 :: 08:35:44 PM
secretary Says:

100 years ago the population on earth was a billion people. Today it grows by how many per second. Each person wants to live the life style of an American with a hot meal, cell phone and a big screen TV. I would think that the people on the Maldives are just like everyone else. Except that their island is getting smaller each year. They might want to think about leaveing those islands. Finding new homes until the next Ice Age when the oceans levels will drop hundreds of feet. When those islands are under water so is a good potion of the USA.
Waterworld here we come.

03/12/2010 :: 06:38:27 PM
Michelle Jubran Says:

I saw Megan Thompson newscast on the Maldives, I am an architect focused
on global warming impacts on Hudson River in NYC – I would like to get in
touch with the government officials of Maldives, to discuss working with the government , to do a master planning study of the islands and possible solutions to save the islands.
thank you

WORLDFOCUS

Comments

More from: South Asia