Vice President Faisal Naseem on Monday stated that climate change is no longer a nuanced and convoluted problem of the smaller, developing states. He made the remark while addressing the opening ceremony of this year’s Indo-Pacific Environmental Security Forum held in Kurumba Maldives.
The Vice President emphasised the urgency of the climate crisis by stating that global weather patterns were changing, which resulted in catastrophic impacts. He particularly noted the heatwave in the UK and the wildfires in the US, adding that the Maldives' predictable weather patterns were also becoming more severe.
Speaking on the importance of holding such a conference, the Vice President highlighted that defence forces were called to respond to disasters and emergencies and said that the intersection of climate and defence requires critical attention. He expressed hope that the sharing of knowledge and expertise at the forum would result in innovative and sustainable solutions.
The government of United States and the US Indo-Pacific Command partnered with the Maldives to host this year’s Indo-Pacific Environmental Security Forum in the Maldives. This is the first time that the conference is being held in person since the Covid-19 pandemic.
