The Maldives are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Not only are they at risk of flooding due to the low-lying nature of the land, the country is also highly susceptible to losing its primary food source: fish. The ocean is the largest carbon sink on earth, and as more carbon is emitted into it, the temperatures will rise. The organisms that live in the ocean are highly sensitive to temperature changes, much like the internal temperature in a human body. So the ocean, essentially, is experiencing a fever. As a result, organisms that inhabit the sea begin dying. It isn’t just that fish can’t handle the change in temperature, either. The atolls of the Maldives are often formulated by coral reefs, and it makes up 3% of the world’s total coral reefs. Coral reefs are much like a cradle to their environments, providing food and shelter to other sea life. When temperatures rise, coral reefs die. When the reefs go, so do the fish that Maldivians are so depend on for food.
Food is not the only system where biodiversity comes into play. The Maldives is actually home to a biosphere reserve because of its high biodiversity across its coral reefs and mangroves for a number of different species. For example, whale sharks, hydrozoans, sea birds, and pink corals.
In summary, the Maldives are choosing to protect their biodiversity not just for their citizens, but for the health of the earth.
