Rising seas, a hoax? [Understanding Climate Change]

Maeed M. Zahir  (ECOCARE Maldives)

“A mean sea-level rise of two meters would suffice to virtually submerge the entire country of 1190 small islands, most of which barely rise over two meters above mean sea-level. That would be a death of a nation. With a mere one meter rise, a storm surge would be catastrophic, and possibly fatal, to the nation” President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom at the United Nations General Assembly on the issue of Environment and Development, New York, 19 October 1987. For decades Maldivian leaders have been advocating for our very vulnerable environment and explaining the consequences of a global sea-level rise. All the way back in 1987 President Maumoon made efforts to bring this major issue to the attention of world leaders. Today President Nasheed continues to do so. Many still are skeptical about the whole thing. Some regard this as a hoax while others just do not want to believe in a concept where “Maldives is sinking”. Well Maldives is “not” sinking!! It’s the seas that are rising to submerge the entire country.

With Family in Chennai ...

It was 8:30 when I boarded the train destination "Chennai". I arrived there on the morning of 12th January. This was not a sightseeing visit nor a study trip ... It was a FAMILY REUNION ... umm more like a family medical trip ... last I met the family was in my second semester holidays in Vacation back home; MALDIVES. 

As soon as I came to out of Chennai Central I headed to meet with the family.

Global warming a man-made reality! [Understanding Climate Change]

Maeed M. Zahir

[ECOCARE Maldives]

Global Warming and Cooling is something that planet Earth has undergone in its long history of 4.5 billion years. It is a phenomenon that has a natural cycle to it. The alarming reality today is the fact that humans have caused this natural process to accelerate rapidly. Our industrialization, our development, our recreation, our pleaser, our desire to material wealth and our unsustainable manners has led to what appears to be a deadly global environmental crisis. Global Warming is as real a fact that Obama is the first black American President. It is not a hoax and not a myth but it is a reality. We need to clearly understand this very bold fact.

What is Global Warming?

As name suggests Global Warming can be simply understood as the increase in global temperature. It happens when Green House gases such as Carbon dioxide, water vapor, Nitrous oxide, Methane etc… trap heat and light from the sun in the Earth’s atmosphere, which causes the rise in temperature.

An Introduction; Understanding Climate Change

Maeed M. Zahir ECOCARE Maldives

Whenever we talk about environment, Climate Change happens to be the most common and most familiar term we find in our conversations today. It has become one of the major global stories in world politics, a bold headline in everyday news paper. It is something that concerns thousands of politicians around the world and affects millions that inhabit planet earth today. It is something that has and will have either direct or indirect affect on all of us. YES! Climate Change is very complicated but it is happening. This is exactly why understanding Climate Change is important.  To understand the reality of Climate Change it’s essential that we know that Climate Change is nothing new. It has been something that has always been happening and it’s something that will keep on happening. Since Earths existence some 4.5 billion years ago there have been constant changes in global climatic conditions. Earth has undergone major periods of climatic shifts in the past as well, including 4 ice ages.

My thoughts ... a Maldive Island University ??

The Maldives is made up by a total of over 1190 Islands. Over 90 of these islands are tourists resorts, as the Maldives has a One Island - One hotel concept, the resorts are totally isolated from the local communities. Locals live in some 150 or so islands ... still this leaves us with a number of uninhabited islands.


I wonder why the government cannot come up with one island that can be built as an academic island. Some thing like One Island - One University or at least One Island - One College or something.

SCOUTER OF THE MONTH – JAN 2011

Mr. Ahmed Ali Maniku
“AN INSPIRATION AND AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW”
Maeed M. Zahir | Hussain M. Haneef
www.scoutsofmaldives.com

“My advice to all the Scouts and Leaders is to respect the Scout Promise you have taken and to act accordingly to what is mentioned in that Promise” says the former Chief Commissioner Mr. Ahmed Ali Maniku.

Ahmed Ali Maniku, famously known among Scouts or Scouters as Ken or Kennedy Sir was the Chief Commissioner of the Scout Association of Maldives from 2004 – 2010. He is among those prominent Scouters of Maldives who plays a very important part in the development of Scouting in the country. Kennedy joined the Scout Movement in 1965 at 1^st Male’ Scout Group, as a young student of Majeedhiya School. During these 45 years he has loved and enjoyed the Scout movement contributing in determination and enthusiasm in trying to build better scouting in Maldives. Mr. Maniku is a 3 bead Wood Badge holder, an Assistant leader Trainer (ALT).