News Desk
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan — In an address at the High-level International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation, Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef called for urgent global action to combat the accelerating loss of glaciers, emphasizing the existential threat rising sea levels pose to small island nations like the Maldives.
Speaking in the Tajik capital, he underscored the interconnected fate of glaciers and low-lying nations, despite the vast geographical distance between them. “Glaciers are not distant, lifeless giants,” VP Latheef said, addressing a gathering of world leaders and environmental experts hosted by President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan. “They are the water towers of the world. When they vanish, so do these lifelines.”
The Maldives, a nation of nearly 1,200 islands with 80% lying less than a meter above sea level, faces severe risks from glacier melt-driven sea level rise. VP Latheef highlighted the cascading impacts: saltwater intrusion into freshwater reserves, shrinking coastlines, and the potential loss of livelihoods, communities, and cultural heritage.
“When glaciers melt, sea levels rise,” he said. “And when the seas rise, the future of our people falls into uncertainty.” VP Latheef stressed that the consequences of glacier loss extend beyond island states, affecting global ecosystems, agriculture, and climate regulation.
He cited scientific evidence warning that some glaciers could disappear entirely within this century if global warming exceeds 1.5°C, a threshold he urged nations to uphold through stronger commitments. Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, small island developing states like the Maldives bear disproportionate burdens from climate change, he noted.
“We have always been caretakers of nature, not its destroyers,” he said, calling for tailored strategies, concessional climate finance, and technology transfers to support vulnerable nations.
The vice president outlined the Maldives’ recent efforts, including its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submitted in February, which targets a reduction of 1.52 million tons of emissions by 2035 and aims to generate 33% of electricity from renewable sources by 2028. However, he emphasized that such ambitions require international support. He urged all nations to submit updated NDCs before COP30 with heightened ambition and transparency.
Expressing gratitude for Tajikistan’s hospitality, VP Latheef framed the conference as a vital platform for global cooperation. “We need a global response as vast as the glaciers themselves,” he said, calling for solidarity to bridge “the distance between the frozen frontiers and our fragile shores.”
The conference, set against Tajikistan’s stunning mountain landscapes, served as a stark reminder of the stakes. VP Latheef’s remarks resonated as a plea not only for the Maldives but for all communities whose futures hinge on the world’s ability to act swiftly and decisively. “Our timeline is not decades,” he concluded. “It is now.”
