The fourth international conference of small island developing states begins Monday, May 27, in Antigua and Barbuda, in a context of major threat to these countries from rising water levels due to climate change. The President of the Maldives and co-president of the conference, signed a forum on Saturday May 25 requesting international funding to combat the phenomenon.
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The summit takes place in Antigua and Barbuda, an independent country made up of two islands in the heart of the Caribbean. Like the latter, most states within this conference are luxury tourist destinations, but now threatened by rising sea levels due to climate change.
On this occasion, the President of the Maldives, who will co-chair this conference, signed Saturday May 25 a column in the British newspaper The Guardianto request a international funding to combat rising water levels. According to Mohamed Muizzu, his country suffers serious dramatic consequences, while the Maldives is responsible for only 0.003% of global greenhouse gas emissions. An injustice denounced by the head of state, who recalls that rich nations have a moral responsibility towards island states.
Another injustice denounced by Mohamed Muizzu: the method of calculating gross domestic product (GDP) per capita which places the Maldives ahead of countries like Chile, Mexico or China, thanks to the good health of its tourism industry. This calculation would be biased, according to the president, which makes the country richer than it really is. According to him, this statistic deprives him of aid reserved for countries with lower incomes.
Elected last September, Mohamed Muizzu wants to build an artificial island 3 meters above sea level, to build 30,000 homes. A vast project to fight global warming, but which requires hundreds of millions of dollars.
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