𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Are island nations that scatter our planet in danger of sinking beneath the waves? Or is nature combating rising sea levels by islands rising to compensate?

For decades it was considered an irrefutable truth that countries such as the Maldives, the tropical paradise that is Britain’s No1 dream holiday destination, were disappearing before our eyes.

But the science, as is often the case, isn’t the slam-dunk it once seemed. New research from the Universities of Singapore and Plymouth, carried out over decades, reveals that far from sinking many of the Maldives’ 1,200 plus islands are either stable or naturally rising higher above sea level. 

The point at which the science becomes incontestable either way could be a long time coming, and one man – President Mohamed Muizzu, the leader of the Maldives – isn’t planning to sit and wait. Instead, he’s making bold and pressing climate adaptation decisions that would make the bureaucrats running Britain’s quagmire planning system blanche. 

In the third of a series of exclusive interviews with Express.co.uk the President said: “We refuse to be fatalistic about the threat of rising sea levels. 

“We are building sea barriers on a number of populated islands and creating new man-made islands higher above sea-level. Large numbers of our citizens are already re-locating to these new ‘reclaimed’ islands for extra space and long-term security.”

The President is talking about Hulhumalé, the large, man-made island joined by a mile-long road bridge to the Maldives’ natural island capital Malé – one of the most densely populated cities on earth. Hulhumalé, which began as a land reclamation project nearly 20 years ago, is the housing ‘pressure valve’ for Malé, allowing tens of thousands of families to be relocated to brand new housing and tree-lined neighbourhoods. But even Hulhumalé cannot accommodate the fast- growing Maldivian population and factor in the citizens that will need to be relocated from islands even the Singapore and Plymouth universities’ study say are sinking. 

So Muizzu is going a major step further. Only months after taking office in 2023 he launched Ras Malé, a new land reclamation project minutes away from Malé that will be three times the size of Hulhumalé. This would see housing being constructed at roughly ten times the rate of the UK – and that’s with all the immense challenges of land reclamation and ocean biodiversity to be factored in.

The newly claimed land will be ready to be built on later this year, and when finished it will be home to Maldives Eco City, complete with more than 65,000 homes, schools, and places of work. And it will be safe from rising seas: “The land will be elevated to three metres above sea-level, making it resilient to climate change impacts” the President told Express.co.uk. “We shouldn’t talk about development without considering the climate crisis, and the plans to mitigate it”. 

There is a stark reality behind the President’s warning. Despite his optimism and practical steps to mitigate the effects of climate damage it is just a plain fact that even if the world meets its most ambitious 1.5°C climate targets (a mix of COP pledges and ridiculously non-legally binding Paris Agreement 2015) the Maldives will still face rising seas, stronger storms and unpredictable climate changes. 

That, of course, is if nothing is done. But President Muizzu’s government is racing to adapt — building higher islands, reinforcing coastlines, and investing in renewable energy to reduce dependence on imported fuel. But adaptation alone cannot save the Maldives if global emissions continue unchecked.

The President’s message is clear: the world must act, and the world must act now.

This brings the conversation to COP itself — the global climate negotiation process that is increasingly criticised for being a slow, bureaucratic talking shop for dithering politicians and fossil fuel lobbyists.

When asked about this frustration, Muizzu is diplomatic but firm. COP, he says, is imperfect, but it remains the only forum where every nation — large or small — can sit at the same table. The problem is not the process itself, he says, but the failure of major emitters to honour their pledges. It is worth remembering the Maldives historical contribution to global greenhouse gases is a statistical zero.

He said: “We must find ways to hold the larger countries of the world to their pledges. And we must ensure small nations have easier ways to access climate finance.” Without that finance, the Maldives cannot build the infrastructure it needs to survive rising seas. Without global emissions cuts, no amount of infrastructure will be enough.

Yet the Maldives is not defined solely by its vulnerability. It remains one of the world’s most extraordinary nations — a place of crystal-clear waters, white-sand beaches, and a hospitality culture shaped in part by decades of British influence. “British tourists helped make the Maldives,” Muizzu says. “Britons were the first visitors in large numbers, and today they remain consistently in the top three nationalities.”

And the relationship between the two nations goes far beyond tourism. Britain is now a key partner in digital governance, renewable energy, fisheries, and the creative economy. The Maldives is investing heavily in digital transformation and aims to make creative industries 15 percent of GDP by 2030. British companies, with their global leadership in design, media, gaming, and digital services, are well placed to help drive that growth.

Renewable energy is another area of deep cooperation. The Maldives currently generates just four percent of its electricity from renewables but plans to raise that to one-third by 2028. A new floating solar project — the first of its kind in the region — will deliver 100 megawatts of clean power. Offshore wind and marine energy, where Britain is a world leader, could accelerate this transition dramatically.

And then there is the Maldives’ new fisheries brand From Maldives launched in London earlier this year — a symbol of the country’s commitment to sustainable, traceable seafood. British expertise in marine science and sustainable packaging makes the UK a natural partner in this sector too.

Beyond climate change, the Maldives faces the challenges of any small nation: limited land, limited resources, and the need to create opportunities for a young and growing population. Muizzu’s government is investing in housing, land reclamation, and job creation in high-value sectors. “We must improve the quality of life for our citizens,” he says. “We are determined to increase opportunities — particularly through creative industries, digital transformation, and renewable energy.”

And when asked where the President of Paradise takes his holidays, his answer is simple: “If you already live in paradise, why would you go anywhere else?”