NEW DELHI, May 10. /TASS/. Russia could help the Maldives fight their extinction by investing in renewable energy projects and reducing carbon emissions, the Republic of the Maldives’ ambassador to India Ibrahim Shaheeb said in an interview with TASS on Wednesday.
He recalled that, according to scientific forecasts, global warming will lead to sea levels rising by one meter, which means that "80% of the Maldives will disappear."
According to the diplomat, the Maldives is already witnessing "changing weather patterns, which has a direct impact on all its smaller islands."
"We are already seeing this now. So far, these small islands have not disappeared. During times of extreme weather, there are floods; we are seeing more and more of this nowadays," he noted.
Shaheeb stressed that the Maldives "need the support of bigger countries to reduce emissions."
"Russia’s biggest contribution could be to help reduce carbon emissions. On top of that we need a lot of financial assistance to adapt to climate change and investments in renewable energy projects in the Maldives," the ambassador said.
He noted that through various platforms, Male has raised the topic of global warming, a phenomenon which threatens the very existence of the island state.
"We are the ones who are suffering from global warming. We raise awareness, to make sure those responsible reduce their emissions and we raise our concerns at all international levels," Shaheeb concluded.