A race against time and against ourselves. Against the dangerous idea that we can’t do this, that there is no way.
Unlike most races, it won’t have one winner. In this race we all win, or we all lose. Winning it requires a radical, unprecedented level of collaboration, from all corners of our world. From our cities, businesses, regions and investors. From people everywhere.
Together we’re racing for a better world. A zero carbon and resilient world. A healthier, safer, fairer world. A world of wellbeing, abundance and joy, where the air is fresher, our jobs are well-paid and dignified, and our future is clear.
To get there we need to run fast, and get faster. We need more and more people to join the race, and right now. This is not about 2050, it’s about today.
Together, we can do this. And we’re already on our way.
Threatened by rising sea levels, the Maldives is building a floating city
By Natalie Marchant | May 19, 2021
Island nation, the Maldives, is creating an innovative floating city that will help mitigate the effects of climate change and stay on top of rising sea levels.
The Maldives Floating City is designed by Netherlands-based Dutch Docklands and will feature thousands of waterfront residences and services floating along a flexible, functional grid across a 200-hectare lagoon.
Such a development is particularly vital for countries such as the Maldives – an archipelago of 25 low-lying coral atolls in the Indian Ocean that is also the lowest-lying nation in the world.
More than 80% of the country’s land area lies at less than one metre above sea level – meaning rising sea levels and coastal erosion pose a threat to its very existence.
Sustainable design
Developed with the Maldives government, the first-of-its kind “island city” will be based in a warm-water lagoon just 10 minutes by boat from the capital Male and its international airport.
Dutch Docklands worked with urban planning and architecture firm Waterstudio, which is developing floating social housing in the Netherlands, to create a water-based urban grid built to evolve with the changing needs of the country.
Maldives thrives on tourism and the same coral reefs that attract holiday makers also provide the inspiration for much of the development. The hexagon-shaped floating segments are, in part, modelled on the distinctive geometry of local coral.
These are connected to a ring of barrier islands, which act as breakers below the water, thereby lessening the impact of lagoon waves and stabilizing structures on the surface.
“The Maldives Floating City does not require any land reclamation, therefore has a minimal impact on the coral reefs,” says Mohamed Nasheed, former president of the Maldives, speaker of parliament and Climate Vulnerable Forum Ambassador for Ambition.
“What’s more, giant new reefs will be grown to act as water breakers. Our adaptation to climate change mustn’t destroy nature but work with it, as the Maldives Floating City proposes. In the Maldives, we cannot stop the waves, but we can rise with them.”
Construction of the floating city is expected to start next year. Image: Maldives Floating City.
Affordable homes
The island’s seafaring past also influenced the design of the buildings, which will all be low-rise and face the sea. A network of bridges, canals and docks will provide access across the various segments and connect shops, homes and services across the lagoon.
Construction is due to start in 2022 and the development will be completed in phases over the next five years – with a hospital and school eventually being built. Renewable energy will power the city through a smart grid and homes will be priced from $250,000 in a bid to attract a wide range of buyers including local fishermen, who have called the area home for centuries.
Rising sea levels
In March, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned that oceans were under threat like never before and emphasized the increasing risk of rising sea levels. Around 40% of the global population live within 100 kilometres of the coast.
WMO Secretary-General Professor Petteri Taalas said there was an “urgent need” to protect communities from coastal hazards, such as waves, storm surge and sea level rise via multi-hazard warning systems and forecasting.
Atoll nations are even more at risk than other island-based countries, with the Maldives one of just a handful – alongside Kiribati, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands in the Pacific – that have built societies on the coral-and-sand rims of sunken volcanoes.
The World Economic Forum, Friends of Ocean Action and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean will explore how to take bold action for a healthy, resilient and thriving seas during the Virtual Ocean Dialogues 2021 on May 25-27.
The online event will focus on the vital importance of mainstreaming the ocean in global environment-focused forums and summits – from climate and biodiversity, to food and science.
As part of the Climate Champions’ Ocean Breakthroughs, Edges of Earth spoke with JD Stimson, Operations Manager and Freediving Instructor at Dive Alaska, who is building a resilient ecotourism community by connecting locals and visitors to Alaska’s underwater world while championing marine conservation.
As part of the Ocean Breakthroughs initiative, Edges of Earth spoke with Porfiria Gómez, Director of the ocean conservation nonprofit Orgcas in Baja California Sur, Mexico, who is working with local fishing communities to transition from shark fishing to sustainable tourism, blending traditional knowledge with modern conservation practices to protect marine ecosystems and support coastal livelihoods.
As part of the Climate Champions’ Ocean Breakthroughs, exploration team Edges of Earth spoke with Naw Rutha, the only female Karen scuba instructor in the Andaman Islands, who is preserving her community’s ocean heritage by training future divers, protecting marine ecosystems, and learning from past generations to combat climate challenges.
As part of the Climate Champions’-led Ocean Breakthroughs, the Edges of Earth team spent time in Belize to learn from and spotlight the incredible efforts of local leaders, including Tara Scarborough. Through interviews dives, and deep conversations, Tara shared her commitment to uniting her community to safeguard Belize’s precious marine ecosystems.
