Human Rights Watch has called on the Government of Maldives to preserve mangrove forests that help protect local residents against increased risks from flooding and coastal erosion.
In a statement, the international non-governmental organisation claimed a large portion of the mangrove forest in Kulhudhuffushi, Haa Dhaalu Atoll was previously destroyed to build an airport, and authorities are now considering plans to reclaim the remaining area for development after the island was upgraded to city status. In the statement, Associate Asia Director Patricia Gossman claimed the government will be putting more islanders at risk of their lives and livelihoods from flooding if they destroy more mangroves, adding Maldives is already at serious risk from the effects of climate change, and the authorities should be taking urgent steps to protect island communities facing further harm.
Stating mangroves provide a natural protection against flooding, tsunamis, and other disasters, Human Rights Watch said Kulhudhuffushi has grown more vulnerable since 70 percent of the island's mangroves were bulldozed to make way for a new airport in 2018. The organisation said the administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has pledged to ensure environmental impact assessments (EIA) are sound and recommendations are followed, but is currently considering a proposal to remove the remaining mangroves.
In March 2019, Ministry of Environment accepted an offer from the Mangrove Action Project, an international non-governmental organisation, to help preserve the Kulhudhuffushi mangroves. Experts from the organisation recommended the government undertake conservation measures, including restoring the hydrology of the mangroves to protect the island from flooding.
Maldives is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, with the projected global sea-level rise potentially inundating many of its approximately 1,200 islands. With flooding, erosion, and other ecological disasters on the rise, mangrove forests and coral reefs in Maldives are one of the most important natural protections against these extreme weather events.