Daily News Online Ad Space Available HERE

DateLine Tuesday, 11 November 2008

News Bar »

Security: Troops regain Kiranchi ...        Political: Govt. rules out CFA, talks ...       Business: CPC to restructure hedging ...        Sports: India wins fourth test, clinches series 2-0 ...

Home

 | SHARE MARKET  | EXCHANGE RATE  | TRADING  | PICTURE GALLERY  | ARCHIVES | 

dailynews
 ONLINE


OTHER PUBLICATIONS


OTHER LINKS

Marriage Proposals
Classified
Government Gazette

Maldives saves for new homeland amid flooding fears

The Maldives’ newly-elected President Mohamed Nasheed said in an interview yesterday that his Government will 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’ first democratic presidential election last month, told The Guardian his Government will start putting aside 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 had similar cultures and climates, while vast Australia was also an option.

He told the newspaper he intended to create a “sovereign wealth fund” from the money generated by tourism, much like Arab states had with 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.

 

EMAIL |   PRINTABLE VIEW | FEEDBACK

Gamin Gamata - Presidential Community & Welfare Service
TENDER NOTICE - WEB OFFSET NEWSPRINT - ANCL
www.millenniumvilla.com
http://www.victoriarange.com
www.deakin.edu.au
srilankans.com - news & information
Ceylinco Banyan Villas
www.news.lk
www.defence.lk
Donate Now | defence.lk
www.apiwenuwenapi.co.uk
LANKAPUVATH - National News Agency of Sri Lanka
www.peaceinsrilanka.org
www.army.lk

| News | Editorial | Business | Features | Political | Security | Sport | World | Letters | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House Copyright © 2008 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Comments and suggestions to : Web Editor