The Last Days of Paradise

Rising seas threaten to overwhelm the Maldives, and the first democratically elected president plans to put together a sovereign wealth fund directed at finding a new, environmentally secure home for a population of more than 350,000. President Mohamed Nasheed is looking at Sri Lanka, India, Australia and other nations with climates similar to that of the Maldives, known for its beautiful beaches and tourism industry. “It is an intriguing, if deeply depressing idea: the first nation on earth to be forced to abandon its homeland because of the impact of global warming and steadily rising sea levels,” writes Jon Henley for the Guardian. International law is not at all ready to address the many problems of such displacement, Henley notes, and new conflicts could emerge. The president’s announcement serves as a reminder for the international community that slowing climate change is a pressing priority for some nations that emit little in the way of carbon. – YaleGlobal