Dredging and land reclamation projects will be suspended if El Niño situation worsens: Minister Shareef
25 ސެޕްޓެމްބަރު 2026 | ހުކުރު 08:49Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim has announced that land reclamation projects will be suspended if environmental conditions worsen due to El Niño-induced rising sea temperatures and widespread coral bleaching. Emphasizing the gravity of the situation, the Minister also underscored the necessity of full cooperation from contractors in implementing these protective measures.
Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, Ali Shareef, speaks during a press conference held at the President's Office on Thursday. | RaajjeMV
Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy Ali Shareef has stated that land reclamation projects will be suspended if the environmental impact of El Niño intensifies and conditions deteriorate significantly.
Speaking at a press conference held at the President's Office on Thursday, Minister Shareef stated that if the El Niño phenomenon continues as currently projected, temperatures are expected to rise further, potentially extending these conditions into next year. The Minister added that forecasts also indicate a possible counter-effect resulting from changes in the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) alongside El Niño. He noted that the Maldives Meteorological Service is continuously monitoring the developments of both weather systems.
Minister Shareef highlighted that the El Niño phenomenon poses the greatest threat to the Maldives' coral reefs, noting that coral bleaching is currently being observed. He further stated that land reclamation projects had also been suspended during previous minor El Niño events.
Minister Shareef further noted that halting these projects is no simple task. He emphasized that since these operations involve the mobilization of massive, high-cost dredgers with daily expenditures reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars, the full cooperation of contractors is essential.
However, Minister Shareef stated that they would discontinue the practice should circumstances necessitate such a move.
Therefore, if a situation arises where we are forced to suspend operations, and if the circumstances deteriorate to that extent, we have demonstrated in the past that we are prepared to halt our activities. Consequently, should we reach that critical point again, we will not hesitate to suspend operations once more.Ali Shareef
El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon that occurs every few years, driven by shifts in ocean currents and atmospheric conditions. This phenomenon is triggered by the abnormal warming of surface waters in the central and eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean.
