Download Learning In Focus_The Maldives

August 31, 2009
SDCC
LEARNING IN FOCUS
The SDCC (Social
Dimensions of Climate
Change) Learning
Module is designed to
change our perspective
on climate change from
one that focuses on
science and
ecosystems, to one that
puts social and human
systems at the forefront
of our analysis.
This new perspective
has wide-ranging
implications for
diagnostics, process,
policy and instrument
design as well as
substantive outcomes.
Our aim is to improve
understanding of the
drivers that shape
vulnerability and
enhance ability to
promote adaptive
capacity and spur
climate resilient
sustainable
development.
Case Study - The Maldives
This case study
provides a country
context. Questions are
provided at the end
which enables the
reader to think critically
about vulnerability.
For further information
please contact:
Carina Bachofen
[email protected]
Edward Cameron
[email protected]
or visit:
worldbank.org/sdcc
1
the death of a nation?
By Carina Bachofen and Edward Cameron
Vulnerability is a function of a system’s exposure
to climate change risks; sensitivity to these risks; and
adaptive capacity.
The Republic of Maldives is an archipelago of
approximately twelve hundred coral reef islands
situated in the Southern Indian Ocean. One
hundred and ninety of these islands are inhabited.
The majority of the Maldives’ twelve hundred
islands lie less than one meter above sea level.
According to the 2006 national census, the
Maldives is 100% Islamic, with a population of
approximately 300,000. This number is
augmented by a large number of undocumented
migrants and by an annual influx of almost
600,000 tourists.
Vulnerable populations are exposed to multiple
climate-related risks including reduced agricultural
productivity, risks to unique and threatened
systems, increased exposure to disease vectors and
extreme weather events.
In the short-term, the Maldives is already
facing increasing exposure to extreme weather
events such as the sea-swells that struck the
country in May and June of 2007. In addition
coastal erosion damages homes and infrastructure.
In the medium term, exposure to increasing
CO2 deposits and warming of ocean temperatures
threaten the prized coral reef system, exacerbating
existing human impacts from fishing, construction,
pollution and tourism.
The most significant long-term threat stems
from rising sea-levels. In their worst case scenario
projection, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change estimates as much as a 90cm rise in sea
levels by the end of this century. This would render
the Maldives uninhabitable.
Sensitivity to climate-related risks results from
dependence on the environment for livelihoods,
food, shelter and medicine; lack of access to
decision making and justice, geographical context, a
range of intersecting inequalities including
financial, socio-economic, cultural and gender
status.
Tourism, a sector highly sensitive to climate
risks, is the main economic activity of the Maldives.
Between 1995 and 2006, the tourism sector
accounted for an average of 30% of GDP and
employed 17,000 direct jobs. Moreover, it provided
indirect employment and other livelihood
opportunities in transport, communication,
agriculture, distribution and construction as well as
in the more dispersed local economies. Finally, the
tourism industry, directly and indirectly, accounts
for a high portion of government revenues.
August 31, 2009
2
SDCC
LEARNING IN FOCUS
More than 20% of the population depends on fisheries as The cost of securing all inhabited islands, including the
the major income earning activity. In 2005, tuna and tuna- livelihoods of the local population is beyond the financial
related species accounted for approximately 89% of the total capacity of this small island nation. The government is illfish catch and tuna products provided US$97 million in export equipped in terms of human and knowledge resources to
revenue. Fish is also the primary source of dietary protein for engage with the global architecture on climate change and to
Maldivians. Tuna movement and abundance in the Indian develop the scale of local adaptation projects deemed
Ocean is closely linked to the climate.
necessary.
The third component of vulnerability,
Two faces of vulnerability
adaptive capacity, refers to the pool of assets
(social, physical, financial, natural, human, and
For Abdulllah Mahir and Eman Waheed
cultural) and resources (technological,
climate change is more than a distant reality,
knowledge and governance) which an individual,
it’s a daily challenge that threatens to
household or community may mobilize to build
exacerbate existing vulnerabilities.
resilience to climate change impacts.
Abdullah is a waiter at a tourist resort
According to the national census, Maldives
where he earns $100 per month. Abdullah
GDP per capital GDP of USD $3000, making
sends a large portion of this income to his
the Maldives the richest per capita country in
family in Bangladesh each month. As an
South Asia. This statistic is somewhat misleading
undocumented migrant worker with few
however, as it does not account for the
transferrable skills. Abdullah lacks many of the
substantial levels of inequality and poverty in the
basic rights afforded to Maldivians, and is
country. The same census stated that 42% of the
consequently restricted in terms of livelihood
Maldivian population lives below the poverty
choices.
line and consequently lacks many of the basic
Eman Waheed is the mother of eight and
resources and assets needed to reduce
wife of a tuna fisherman. She and her family
vulnerability.
live on an isolated island to the far north of the
Lack of financial assets has been
country. As reef fish decline in size and
exacerbated by deficiencies in governance. The
numbers due to coral bleaching, Eman’s
nation’s central gover nment has been
husband has witnessed a sharp decline in his
understaffed, lacking in technical and
daily catch with consequences for the family’s
knowledge capacity, and unable to mobilize
diet and a shortfall in what he can sell at the
sufficient finances. Access to decision making
market. To make matters worse, the
has limited and basic rights have often been
unprecedented sea swells of 2007 severely
neglected.
damaged Eman’s home and her husband’s
To address the Maldives’ most urgent
fishing boat, putting at peril the few resources
adaptation needs, the country developed a
they possessed to pursue a life of dignity and
comprehensive National Adaptation Program of
prosperity.
Action (NAPA), which includes the following measures:
• The construction of the elaborate tetrapod flood defense
system on the capital island, which cost an
estimated $150m.
• Safe island initiative, which relocates populations
from the most vulnerable islands to safer
Test Your Knowledge
locations.
Question 1: Why is the Maldives and its people so vulnerable to
• Development of flood defenses to protect vital
climate change impacts? Please identify key aspects of exposure,
utilities and infrastructure
sensitivity and adaptive capacity.
• Development of the Hulhumale island
Question 2: Why are Abdullah and Eman particularly sensitive to
neighbouring the capital city.
climate change?
• The Human Dimensions of Climate Change, a
political and public diplomacy initiative,
Question 3: What could be done to enhance adaptive capacity of the
designed to inject urgency and ambition into
poor and most vulnerable in the Maldives?
climate negotiations.
Question 4: What are the characteristics of exposure, sensitivity and
Despite these initiatives major deficiencies in
adaptive capacity in your home country?
terms of human, knowledge and financial resources
seriously threaten the Maldives’ adaptive capacity.