Speaking at a seminar and policy debate held today on ‘Leadership in Climate Change’, President Mohamed Nasheed has said that renewable energy sources was the only hope of saving the earth and expressed optimism that future generations would not “see windmills as a scaring the landscape”.
He said that climate change was a very real threat to humanity but that climate deniers were pursuing a ‘business as usual’ agenda.
“During the past few months after Copenhagen, there has been a number of stories circulating that have raised people’s scepticism,” said President Nasheed.
Stating that there were well established lobbying mechanisms in many developed countries against climate change, the President said “these lobbying mechanisms usually and very often can be very effective in turning around an issue and clouding the substance of an issue”.
In his speech, President also emphasised on the importance of taking bold measures to combat climate change.
He said the world can no longer afford to ignore the signs, and that already in the Maldives, people were experiencing the effects of climate change.
“We have more than 16 islands where people have to be relocated, our fresh water is been contaminated… our ocean temperatures are rising and therefore fish stock is dwindling,” said the President.
President Nasheed also took questions from the participants of the seminar which was organised by the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA).
