Male’, Maldives – President of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih expressed concerns over the drastic climate change at the 76th Annual Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Speaking at the 76th Annual Session of UNGA, President Solih noted that the hottest climate change records were made over the past five years since the authorities began recording statistics in the mid-nineteenth century. He stated that the rate of sea-level has tripled in comparison to the level back in 1901-1970 and that there is already an increase of 1.1 degree Celsius in warming of the plane.
Mentioning the negative effects that small islands such as the Maldives have to endure due to climate change, President Solih stated that these countries are often described with the phrases “Existential threat,” “cease to exist,” “climate vulnerable,” “risk of disappearing,” loss of identity.”
The difference between 1.5 degrees and 2 degrees is a death sentence for the Maldives.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
President Solih stated that the state of environmental ruin that the small nations country have to face will soon be faced by the bigger nations as well and that “there is no guarantee of survival for any one nation in a world where the Maldives ceases to exist.”
Therefore, President Solih stated that it is essential for the world’s most wealthy nations to help the smaller nations receive aid in the effects they face due to climate change in forms of capacity building, technology transfers and financial resources to ramp their defenses in the climate fight.
In addition to this, President Solih stated that the people must also give up their addiction to resources of harmful greenhouse gases such as fossil fuels and adopt cleaner, smarter technologies as energy use.
President Solih also spoke about an ambitious plan that has been made to reach net-zero by 2030. He expressed hope on receiving international support in achieving the mentioned plan.
