Climate security is an area where stakes for low-lying island states, are high: Mariya

Climate security is an area where the stakes for small, low-lying island states like the Maldives are high, says Minister of Defence and National Security, Mariya Didi.

She made this statement in her remarks at the Special Session on Climate Security and Green Defence at the 19th Asia Security Summit; the IISS “Shangri-La Dialogue” in Singapore.

As such, speaking at the event, the minister stated that 99.7 percent of the Maldives is water and that most islands rise barely three feet above the sea level and more than 70 percent of the nation’s infrastructure and 50 percent of its urban areas are located within 100 meters from the sea, with which climate security is critical for the country's existence.

Highlighting that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has established a “razor-sharp” focus on the island nation’s climate change fight on the global stage, despite growing security worries and the challenges of keeping Maldives on the track of democratic consolidation, Minister Mariya noted the inclusion of a directive in the Maldives’ Defence White Paper, for all defence sector agencies and the defence force to institute greener approaches in their mission planning and execution.

She went on to state that a discourse has been initiated between relevant agencies and the defence force for the management of designated marine protected zones and areas and ecological reserves within the defence estates.

Minister Mariya said that climate change is an existential crisis for small low-lying island states, adding that the cost of failure is unfathomable.

The Maldivian minister added that Maldivians are resilient people, in spite of odds being against the small island nation, noting that the Maldives needs its partners to assist them in these efforts.