Solar Energy News  
WATER WORLD
'We can't lose hope' to save the planet says ex-Maldives president
By Kelly MACNAMARA
Glasgow (AFP) Nov 3, 2021

The corals might be doomed, his country is still at risk of being swallowed by rising seas and he has recently survived an assassination attempt, but former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed is feeling optimistic.

Nasheed, who is representing dozens of the world's most climate vulnerable countries, is at COP26 to call on world leaders to make good on their promises to help nations on the front line of global heating.

A veteran of climate diplomacy, Nasheed made headlines in 2009 when he persuaded his cabinet to don scuba gear and hold an aquatic meeting among the coral reefs that ring his Indian Ocean archipelago.

"Ten years later on, where are we?," he told AFP.

"I think we've moved a long, long, long way forward."

Though some countries still need to scale up their climate ambitions, Nasheed said that now he dares to believe that the Paris agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels is possible.

"I believe now people have understood the gravity of the issue," he said, referring to the onslaught of climate change-fueled weather disasters this year, from record-shattering heatwaves in North America to devastating floods in Europe.

"It is an election issue now, that is why world leaders have joined the rhetoric."

A particular sore point at the Glasgow gathering is the failure of rich nations to honour their pledge -- first made in 2009 -- to provide $100 billion a year by 2020 for countries facing the worst climate impacts.

Last week, they laid out a plan for hitting the target only in 2023 -- although United States climate envoy John Kerry this week said funding the funding might reach the target next year.

The Climate Vulnerable Forum that Nasheed represents is calling on richer nations to meet the $100 billion target.

It also wants the debts of vulnerable nations to be restructured so that part of their repayments can be repurposed into spending on projects to help soften the blow of climate change.

Nasheed had a message for world leaders: "think about your children and your children's children".

"In the Maldives, we were the first generation to see the reef, because we were the first generation to be able to have goggles and masks and equipment and go diving and snorkelling," he told AFP.

"Sadly, we are the first generation to see the reef die as well. We must make sure we rehabilitate the reef and hand over the reef in the pristine, colourful manner that we saw it."

- 'Nature as infrastructure' -

Oceans absorb more than 90 percent of the excess heat from greenhouse gas emissions, pushing many species of corals past their limits of tolerance.

The UN's climate science advisory panel, the IPCC, projects that global warming of 1.5C will see 70 to 90 percent of all corals disappear.

But Nasheed refuses to give up, calling for innovative solutions to climate challenges.

"We want to find resilient coral," he said.

"We want to find a sand grain that will hold water and not have mudslides. We want perhaps a tree that doesn't burn."

Nasheed said the aim was to "use nature as infrastructure", but that these adaptation projects need money.

- 'It's not just us' -

The delays in funding from wealthy nations have exacerbated tensions between richer countries, largely responsible for global warming, and those poorer countries suffering most from its effects.

"You did not invent the internal combustion engine to murder me. But finally, this is where it is going to. And would you compensate for that?" Nasheed said.

But he added that the past could not be used as an excuse to continue to pollute.

"It's like saying that the West has brought us to the brink and the new big emitting countries have a right to push us off the cliff," he said.

Ultimately, "we want to survive and we want you to survive as well," he said.

"It's not just us now. When we go down, the whole ship goes down."

Nasheed, currently the speaker of parliament in the Maldives, was critically wounded in a May assassination attempt outside his home in the capital Male.

He said it had made him believe "we are here for a big purpose".

"We can't be pessimistic, we can't lose hope. If we lose hope, where do we go? What do we do?"


Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


WATER WORLD
Marine microbes more effective reducing methane than expected
Stockholm, Sweden (SPX) Nov 03, 2021
A new study from Svalbard gas hydrate mounds shows that microbes are able to consume more methane from marine sediments than expected before it is leaking to the ocean and causing unwanted consequences to the environment. Microbes play an important role in suppressing release of methane from marine sediments and thus prevent consequences such as ocean acidification (if methane is converted to CO2 in the ocean) or global warming (if methane leaves the ocean). Anaerobic oxidation of methane, o ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

WATER WORLD
Turning plastic grocery bags into sustainable fuel

Using microbes to make carbon-neutral fuel

Oil-rich UAE to burn waste to make power

First A319neo flight with 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel

WATER WORLD
They'll lead the robots out

Teaching robots to think like us

LEONARDO, the Bipedal Robot, Can Ride a Skateboard and Walk a Slackline

One giant leap for the mini cheetah

WATER WORLD
Scientists bring efficiency to expanding offshore wind energy

From oil to renewables, winds of change blow on Scottish islands

US unveils plans for seven major offshore wind farms

Large wind farms cause different effects for local and regional climates

WATER WORLD
Air taxis promised to fly above potholes of Rome

Toyota ranked one of worst major automakers for emissions efforts

Hybrid cars' green credentials under scrutiny

Amazon-backed EV startup aims for valuation above $50 bn

WATER WORLD
New Curtin study solves energy storage and supply puzzle

NREL researchers point toward energy efficiency instead of long-term storage

A new dimension in magnetism and superconductivity launched

To convert heat into electricity: Scientists developed an efficient generator

WATER WORLD
Low public support for nuclear energy development in Southeast Asia

Framatome to provide cybersecurity services for a nuclear facility safety technology project

Steam leak detected at Russian nuclear plant

EDF offers to build up to 6 nuclear reactors in Poland

WATER WORLD
UK accused of 'staggering hypocrisy' as political row stalks COP26

Climate adaptation cash one tenth of amount needed: UN

FTSE 100 companies sign up to UN net zero campaign: UK govt

Power line corridor through Maine in jeopardy after rebuke by voters

WATER WORLD
The women guarding India's rainforest 'refugees'

Indonesia walks back zero-deforestation pledge at COP26

Poland's 'priceless' primeval forest pits environmentalists against state

Mud, anger and police -- the battle over Canada's old-growth forests









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.