Underwater Cabinet Meeting

Maldives held the worlds first underwater cabinet meeting on October 17th 2009.

Former president Mohamed Nasheed dove 20 feet below the lagoon of Girifushi Island with 13 other government officials. Girifushi is an island mainly used for military training. The meeting was held to raise the concern of raising sea levels, Maldives islands of consisting of 1,192 coral islands on average lies 2.1 meters above the ocean.He fears that the Indian Ocean archipelago would be swamped if carbon emissions are not reduced.

The underwater cabinet meeting was held 30 minutes to raise awareness of what would happen to Maldives if action is not taken. The ministers and cabinet secretary signed a document calling on for all countries to reduce the carbon emissions.

Mr. Nasheed said "What we are trying to make people realize is that the Maldives is not a front-line state. This is not merely an issue for the Maldives but for the world"

Mr. Nasheed called all world leaders to take this issue in hand urgently for the U.N climate change conference that was scheduled for December in Copenhagen.

The Maldivian presidential secretariat has said that this underwater campaign was a part of a campaign by international environmental NGO 350.org.

Mr. Nasheed announced his plans to raise fund if the 1,192 coral islands of Maldives submerge to buy a new home land for the people of Maldives. He also promised to make Maldives the world's first carbon-neutral nation within a decade.

The document that they signed said : "We must unite in a world war effort to halt further temperature rises. Climate changes are happening and it threatens the rights and security of everyone on earth.

We have to have a better deal. We should be able to come out with an amicable understanding that everyone survives. If Maldives can't be saved today, we do not feel that there is much of a chance for the rest of the world."

The countries are to negotiate with Kyoto protocol which controlled the carbon emissions, at the UN conference.


"We are trying to send a message to the let the world know what is happening and what will happen to the Maldives if climate change isn't checked" -Mohammed Nasheed-