... Affairs and Environment, Maldives. ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH

1
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INSMALL ISLAND DEVELOPI
NG STATES (SIDS) Mohamed Ali Environment
Research Centre Ministry of Home Affairs and Envi
ronment, Maldives
2
Sustainable Development
Development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own
wisdom to continue exploiting the available
resources (environment) without upsetting the
functioning and balance of the natural support
systems
safeguarding the reefs for protection,
fisheries, tourism and agriculture in the
Maldives

3
Specialness of the SIDS

• Remoteness

• Smallness

• Geographical dispersion

• Fragility of ecosystems

• Heavy dependence on imports

• Lack of natural resources and skilled endogenous
  human resources.

4
The setting
5
The consequences

• cost of distribution and services delivery
  multiplies

• loose competitive advantage

• forced to import almost all requirements

• no food or energy security,

products for export/ consumption obtained
directly from the environment
6


Global environmental changes

• Physical environmental changes
• - global warming,
• - climate change
• O3 depletion
• sea level rise

Economic environmental changes
- globalisation - economic restructuring - WT
O
- economic status
7
Physical environment

8
Coral Reefs The foundation, the strength, and
the future of the Maldives

9
Fisheries

• Reef fish
• Bait fish Tuna fisheries

• Consumption
• Export

10
Aesthetics
11
Tourism

• Percentage Contribution to GDP by Tourism and
  Fishing from 1984 to 2000

12
Physical Protection
Erosion
Erosion
13
Tradition Culture
14
Island geography
Gan Laamu 512.4 Hithadhoo Seenu 455.4
Fuahmulaku 411.5 Isdhoo Laamu 293.7 Kaashi
dhoo Kaafu 276.5 Gan Seenu 264.9 ------
-------------------------------
Male 177.3
1200 islands 200 inhabited
15

16
height and shape
17
Water Resource
18
island dynamics

• Short term

• Medium term

• Long term

19
(No Transcript)
20
Local stresses

• Dredging/Coral mining
• Sand mining from beach
• Harbour construction
• Reclamation
• Seawalls/groynes
• Island-based pollution

21
Global stresses

• global warming
• climate change
• frequent El Ninos
• coral bleaching
• O3 depletion
• sea level rise

22
Coral Bleaching
during..
before
after
23
Reef Damage
24
Results

• threatening natural resources
• (reefs, biodiversity, tuna)
• affect water resources
• vulnerability to disasters
• reduce resilience of the islands

impact the economic and social performances
25
Economic environment
trade blocs and regional associations are closing
the doors for their few export products
eroding the market preferences and export
benefits.
Sanitary and phytosanitary demands or
ecolabelling requirements are hindering exports
by SIDS.
Economic status (LDC/SIDS?)
Yardstick issue Tend to lose preferential bor
rowing rights and access to special funds.

26
Compounding vulnerability Environmental vul
nerability hastening economic vulnerability,
combination of both are amplifying and escalating
social vulnerability.

27

• Sustainable Development in SIDS
• Case sensitive
• Narrow threshold
• Insecurity
• Vulnerable (internal and external shocks)
• Complex
• Pragmatic approach
• Unity and cooperation