"Maldives faces a potentially dystopian future because of the climate emergency caused by wealthy nations and wealthy individuals," the Special Rapporteur said.
UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment David R Boyd has released a statement following his ten day visit to the Maldives from April 16 to April 25.
An extensive report on the findings during the visit, as well as recommendations, will be presented at the 58th session of the Human Rights Council in March 2025.
"Maldives faces a potentially dystopian future because of the climate emergency caused by wealthy nations and wealthy individuals," the Special Rapporteur said.
"In some ways, the Maldives epitomizes a global economy based on the exploitation of people and nature. A burgeoning number of islands are being privatized, offering high end luxury resorts for wealthy foreigners at thousands of dollars per night, while nearly a third of the population of Maldives are migrant workers, many of whom live and work in poor conditions, earning minimal wages. Foreign investors reap large profits while local communities suffer the loss of ecosystems that sustain them. Many airports are being built, even on islands with convenient speedboat access to other airports, yet air travel is the most carbon-intensive mode of transport," he observed, after having travelled to eight islands, visiting land reclamation sites, the waste disposal site at Thilafushi, and several protected areas.
“Long before that ultimate catastrophe, Maldives could become virtually uninhabitable due to the combined impacts of sea level rise, severe heat, floods, coastal erosion, increased frequency of extreme weather events – all with impacts on human rights, including the right to a healthy environment,” the Special Rapporteur said.
Taking into consideration the legal framework of the country, one of the observations Boyd made was that the Constitution recognizes that every citizen has the right to a “healthy and ecologically balanced environment”.
However, he expressed concerns that from a human rights perspective, this right should be enjoyed by everyone and not be limited to citizens alone.
"This appears to be the only constitution in the world to treat this fundamental human right in such a restrictive manner. This constitutional flaw takes on additional importance in Maldives because of the immense number of migrant workers (estimated at 150,000), some of whom are living or working in unsafe and unhealthy environments."
Boyd said that the most controversial environment and human rights related topic in Maldives involves land reclamation. The process of dredging sand to expand existing islands or create new islands has accelerated in recent years. He observes that the Government states that additional land is needed for housing, infrastructure and industry and that land reclamation is also depicted as a means of adapting to climate change, particularly to the threat of rising sea levels.
“The Maldives appears to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. It is untenable to do nothing to protect these extraordinarily vulnerable islands from the existential threat of rising sea levels. Yet reclamation is also highly problematic, damaging nature’s defense mechanisms, jeopardising marine biodiversity, and sabotaging the ecosystems that attract millions of tourists annually,” Boyd said.
If land reclamation could be done in a genuinely sustainable manner, with the full participation and support of local communities, it could be a valuable means of building resilience and adapting to the inevitable impacts of the climate emergency, Boyd stated.
Boyd criticized the Maldives' heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels, while praising recent initiatives to adapt sustainable energy models.
"I applaud the Government’s target to attain 33 percent of electricity production through renewable energy by 2028 and a proposed rooftop solar program, but note that these initiatives require addressing the preceding obstacles, and doing so quickly. Fossil fuel subsidies should be redirected to support renewable electricity and electric mobility," he added.
Boyd especially highlighted the transport system set up in VilliMale'.
"I was impressed by the electric transport system on Villingili, involving buses, electric motorcycles and electric bicycles. Electric buses operated by the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company employ solar powered charging stations, contributing to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner air, less noise and a greener, cleaner, healthier island. This concept should be expanded to other islands, including Malé and Ras Malé, through subsidies for electric bikes, motorbikes and vehicles."
He also went on to highlight other environmental issues impacting human rights in the Maldives including biodiversity, waste management methods, air pollution and toxic chemicals used in various fields.
"In order to fully enjoy their right to a healthy environment, people must have access to information, the ability to participate in decision making, and access to justice with effective remedies when their rights are being threatened or violated," he asserted.
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