Considering the geographical characteristics of the island nation, it is also the world’s lowest-lying country, with an average elevation of 1.5 m (4ft11in). Its highest elevation is just 2.3 m (7ft7 in) above sea level, making it the lowest naturally-occuring ‘highest-point’ on the planet (High Commission of Maldives n.d.). In view of the existential threats looming large upon the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as the Maldives, the perpetual concerns of climate change and the island state’s adaptive strategies are important to study. The issue becomes particularly grave in view of the 2019 Global Risk Report of the World Economic Forum, which highlighted that 90 per cent of all coastal areas across the world will be affected by varying degrees of sea level rise.
Maldives and Climate Change
The unprecedented challenges of climate change are daunting. Maldives, being amongst the least contributors to greenhouse emissions— amounting to around 0.0003 per cent of the world’s total emissions (High Commission of Maldives n.d.) is nonetheless one of the most affected. It was also the first to sign the Kyoto Protocol calling out against such emissions. The archipelago is unarguably among the most vulnerable and least defensible to climate change, particularly to the associated consequence of sea level rise.
In 2007, the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), presented by the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water of the Government of Maldives, reported that the extreme daily precipitation of 180 mm was a 100year event, but the impact of climate change would make this event twice as often by 2050, implying that the extreme daily precipitation of 180 mm would occur twice every 100 years—making it a 50-year event (Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water 2007). Additionally, the global average sea surface temperature is expected to rise by 1.4 to 5.8°C between 1990 and 2100, with the incidents of drought and flood increasing significantly.
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WILD MEAT AND WET MARKETS: A GLOBAL DIALOGUE
Wet markets operate in most Asian countries including India. China reported its wet markets as the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan and also more recently in Beijing. These wet markets, a traditional part of popular local culture in Asian countries, are increasingly becoming a cause of concern for the international community and health practitioners across the globe. This article attempts to understand how global authorities and their Asian partners are looking to regulate these infamous wet markets to significantly lower the risk of viral and other pathogenic load from these unhygienic wet markets.
SEA WALL IN THE MALDIVES AND ITS SUSTAINABILITY
The Small Island developing states are particularly vulnerable to the peril of climate change. Sea level rise, increase in sea surface temperature, high incidences of drought and flood are some of the vulnerabilities that loom large over such island states.The republic of Maldives is one such example, which has been publicly advocating for the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Despite being one of the least contributors to such emissions, the Maldives faces the highest impact of global warming. Being one of the lowest-lying island nations, it has been undertaking various steps to curb the egregious impacts of environmental catastrophes.One of the response measures taken by the Maldives is the construction of seawalls. This article discusses this, while accenting the drawbacks and benefits associated with the approach.
TO PLUCK AT WILL: FRUIT TREES IN COMMON PROPERTY
Despite many governmental initiatives, malnutrition in India remains a major health challenge. There is a marked deficit of fruits in the diet of most Indians, consuming much lower than what is recommended by the World health organisation (Who). One of the reasons behind this is the high price of fruits and thus its inequitable access. As we prepare ourselves to live in a world marred by COVID-19 and a shrinking Indian economy, we must think of new ideas to manage access to food, especially micro nutrient rich fruits. This paper explores the possibility of planting endemic fruit trees in public spaces like roadsides and parks, that can help in increasing the consumption of fruits amongst the poor. It also attempts to analyse whether this can serve as a long term solution to bridge the gap between fruit production and consumption in India.
RESPONSIVE URBAN PLANNING: COVID-19 A TURNING POINT FOR REAL CHANGE IN INDIAN CITIES
The global challenge of COVID-19 is still unfurling. States are grappling to control its remorseless spread with varied success and its impact both on long and short-term scales are still being understood. However, a distinct urban bias in its spread across the globe and universal response of lockdown and social distancing for its control has brought pertinent questions to the fore. Urban planning and the future of our cities in terms of urban life and city form therefore needs to be revisited. In India, the exodus of migrant workers from its large cities has added yet another dimension to this challenge.
PAUSE AND REBOOT
REFLECTIONS ON ECONOMY, SOCIETY AND POLITY DURING COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND LESSONS FOR INDIA
Migrants & borders: My wishlist in a post-Covid-19 world
Former Professor of Economics and Education, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. bkhadria@gmail.com.
Covid-19: Politics Of Knowledge, Public Health And The World Order
In the present era of a knowledge society, the world order will be shaped more than ever before by the politics of knowledge. In the post-CoVId world, public health knowledge is likely to be a significant contributor. This article briefly discusses the various contemporary public health approaches evident within the discipline: global health, community medicine and critical public health. Then it goes on to analyse country level policy approaches to the COVID-19 pandemic, delineating a tentative four-category typology, based on available information. Finally, it sets out the possible outcome indicators that should be used to assess the national responses.
Inequalities in Access to Academic Spaces
Experiences of students from the socially excluded groups in higher education in India
Understanding Caste and Class - Categories and Measurement
The caste has been a unique social institution in India. It has also emerged in a new form after the mandalisation of caste in the early 1990s resulting in the extension of reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in government jobs and also in admissions to colleges and universities. The relative size of population of various caste groups particularly of the OBCs is also a matter of debate. Census does not provide population data on OBCs, however, it is possible to assess it from nationally representative sample surveys. Further, the correspondence between caste categories and class has been a matter of debate. This paper presents an assessment of class within caste categories based on data from nationally representative sample surveys.
The Middle Class - As the Class of No Class
An attempt to understand some of the ambiguities around what it means to be middle class in India has been made in this paper. It also discusses the influence that the middle class supposedly has on Indian politics despite these uncertainties.
Maldives - Islands Of Plenty
There’s more to the Maldives than honeymoons – this escape offers resorts to suit all types of travelers
Exotic Dining In The Maldives
Strewn across the Indian Ocean like a handful of shimmering pearls.
Exploring Sri Lanka & The Maldives
Just over 30 miles from the southern tip of India, across the narrow Palk Strait, lies the island nation of Sri Lanka.
NEW HORIZONS
After the past 12 months we all need an idyllic escape. The islands of the Indian Ocean should be on your wish list
India rolls out vaccines to neighbouring coThe government has opened a new institute of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) i.e. CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR), in New Delhi.untries
The Government of India has received several requests for the supply of Indian manufactured vaccines from neighbouring and key partner countries.
What Colour Is The Sun In Your Country?
Think there is nothing more beautiful than watching the sun set or rise on an endless span of azure water? Check out these over water villas in the island nation
UNHRC SESSIONS: WHAT LANKA SHOULD HAVE DONE
The United Nations Human Rights Council is in session and Sri Lanka is among the countries that have come before its scanner. It is a slur on Sri Lanka’s reputation when it is being lumped together with big-time human rights violators such as Israel, Syria and North Korea, with member states after member state taking the floor to act like prosecutor, the jury and the judge.
मालदीव के लिए भारत हमेशा एक विश्वसनीय सुरक्षा भागीदार होगा
मालदीव की समुद्री सुरक्षा बढ़ाने के लिए भारत ने पांच करोड़ डॉलर की ऋण सुविधा पर हस्ताक्षर किए
ONE WITH THE SEA
On a liveaboard diving trip in the Maldives, celebrity Pilates expert and scuba diver NAMRATA PUROHIT learns life lessons from the creatures that inhabit the ocean.
The Maldivian Escape
Maldives becomes a preferred destination for Indian travellers in the Covid era