Oceans - Sea level rise Maldives CS

Question 1

Where is it located?

Answer 1

The Maldives is an independent island country in north central Indian Ocean

Question 2

What’s the total pop.?

Answer 2

400,000

Question 3

What is the total renewable water available per year?

Answer 3

0.03 km^3/yr

Question 4

What is a Small Island Developing State?

Answer 4

• Low-lying coastal countries
• Isolated fragile environments

Question 5

Where are SIDs located?

Answer 5

• Caribbean
• Pacific
• Atlantic
• South China Sea
• Indian Ocean

Question 6

What’s the aggregate population of all SIDs?

Answer 6

65 million

Question 7

What challenges do SIDs face?

Answer 7

• Remote geography -> face high import and export costs
• Narrow resource base

Question 8

How many times bigger is the EEZ compared to the land mass?

Answer 8

2.8 times

Question 9

What makes Maldives vulnerable to sea level rise?

Answer 9

> 80% of land is less than 1m above mean sea level

Question 10

Why is sea level rise an issue for Maldives?

Answer 10

Lack of topography

Question 11

How is beach erosion a threat?

Answer 11

• Land lost to sea -> more frequent coastal flooding
• Peoples homes being lost -> pop homeless

Question 12

Why are waves a threat?

Answer 12

Wave driven flooding more common -> freshwater limited -> effect agriculture industry

Question 13

How does sea level rise affect agriculture?

Answer 13

• Salt water toxic to plants -> can intrude aquifers -> damage livelihoods

Question 14

How much of the land is permanent crops?

Answer 14

10%

Question 15

How far from the coastline are Maldives two international airports?

Answer 15

50 meters

Question 16

How does sea level rise have an impact on the economy?

Answer 16

• Five airports - threatened
• 128 harbours - threatened

Question 17

What are the consequences of sea level rise?

Answer 17

• Increased unemployment
• Increased emigration

Question 18

What % of the GDP is agriculture?

Answer 18

3%

Question 19

What % of GDP is services?

Answer 19

80%

Question 20

What % of services does tourism make up?

Answer 20

30%

Question 21

What are the short term adaptions?

Answer 21

• Forced migration - environmental refugees
• Sea wall defences
• Storms transport offshore sediment -> Island build up

Question 22

What is the Adaption Fund + UN Development Programme?

Answer 22

1. Harvesting water
2. Desalination of sea water
3. The implantation of water recharge systems

Question 23

Why is it difficult for Maldives to adapt?

Answer 23

Limited capacity to prepare monitor and respond

Question 24

When is the wet season (monsoon)?

Answer 24

June - August

Question 25

How much of the population is over 25?

Answer 25

56%

Question 26

How much of employment make up services?

Answer 26

70%

Question 27

What are the long term adaptions?

Answer 27

• Dutch firm - build 5000 floating homes -> on pontoons
• Artificially raising existing islands -> high elevation

Question 28

How can economy be made sustainable?

Answer 28

Shift to circular waste management policy and to “circular economy”

Question 29

What action do the EU plan to take?

Answer 29

• Development of tech
• Pushing green agenda in schools -> chance of green future

Question 30

What does MEERY stand for?

Answer 30

Maldives Enhance Employability and Resilience of Youth

Question 31

How could the soil be affected?

Answer 31

• The soil is shallow on most islands
• Floods could easily wash surface layer away
• Plants can’t grow