What are the Maldives doing to stop climate change?

Posted by Keshav Jain on

You may have heard about a floating park, a floating post office, and even a floating hotel. But what about a floating city? Yes, that's what the Maldives Government is busy planning to fight the impact of climate change. Let's find out more about it.

Threatened by climate change

Did you know the Maldives is the lowest-lying country in the world? A sought-after tourist destination, most of the country lies just one metre above sea level. With rising sea levels due to climate change threatening its very existence, the atoll nation (consisting of a group of islands) is keen on building a floating city, the first of its kind, based in a warm-water lagoon spanning 200 hectares. A floating city does not actually float, but is essentially a platform anchored to the seabed in coastal regions.

Who is the designer?

Designed by the Netherlands-based Dutch Docklands, a pioneer in developing floating infrastructure, the Maldives Floating City will feature thousands of water-facing homes, shops, and services floating along a flexible grid. It will be situated close to Male, the capital city, and its international airport, and can be reached by boat.

Honeycomb-like structures

Maldives is known for its coral reefs which are said to be the inspiration behind the honeycomb-like hexagon-shaped floating segments in the design. These will be linked to barrier islands around the lagoon which will act as breakers (barriers against the force of water) under the surface, thereby stabilising the structures above. It is said that as the project does not require land reclamation, the reefs will not be affected much. Besides, giant reefs will be grown to serve as water breakers.

The various segments of the city will be accessed by a network of bridges and canals. The construction is scheduled to begin next year and expected to be completed in phases over the next five years. What's more, a hospital and a school are also to be included.

Quick facts

  • The Maldives is a small archipelagic State in South Asia situated in the Indian Ocean.
  • It consists of over 25 coral atolls made up of 1.190 tiny islands. Some 200 islands are inhabited with a population of over five lakh.
  • Coral reefs are the dominant ecosystems here.
  • The Maldives is the lowest-lying country in the world.

Picture Credit : Google