The
Coastal Areas of Maldives
The
Maldives is constituted of a range of low lying islets, where any
region of land mass make up a coastal area. The total exclusive
economic zone (EEZ) of the Maldives is 959,100 sq km. Maldives has a
degree of coastal ecosystems comprising seagrass beds, coral reefs,
lagoons, beaches, and little regions of mangrove.
A
greater percentage of Maldives population is straightly reliant on
coastal resources for their livelihood. These resources comprise
mangroves and other coastal vegetation, agriculture, ocean and reef
fisheries.
With
islands not rising over 3 meters above sea level, the Maldives faces
the implacable potential of being entirely drowned by speedily rising
seas in the future.
1. Coastal
Agriculture
The salinity of
groundwater because of the intrusion of sea water into the subsurface
aquifer is a main environmental issue in the Maldives. Because of the
excessive removal of groundwater, the water table of some islands has
fallen overly far below, hence letting seawater to percolate.
The climate change will
also impact the main constituents of agricultural productivity such
as weather or water precipitation, temperature and sunlight.
2. Fishery
A greater number of
fisher communities across the Maldives are heavily reliant on fishery
for their livelihood and nutrition.
The
negative impacts of climate change on Maldives fishery comprise coral
bleaching, hence destroying fundamental habitats; and increasing
intensity of storms coupled with augmented sea level rise,
thereby, destroying fish habitats, accessibility to fishery and
resources.
3. Tourism
Tourists from different
regions of the world are drawn to Maldives due to its clean beaches,
underwater coral reefs, and dramatic marine wildlife. Annually,
500,000 tourists visits Maldives. The atolls of Maldives are
surrounded by seventh largest coral reefs of the globe and are
amongst the most affluent in terms of species diversity. These reefs
comprise above 1,900 species of fish, 187 coral species and 350
crustaceans. The nature-based tourism make up 70 % of nation's GDP.
The increase in sea
temperatures endanger the coral reefs and lead to bleaching and
death. The most intense damage occurs in regions that are weakened
by pollutants or destroyed by human activities.
