In a stark reminder to the international community, the Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, Ali Shareef, has declared at the 7th Global Conference on Climate and SDG Synergies that climate‑driven disruption poses a fundamental threat to peace and stability.
Speaking on the sidelines of the two‑day meeting held from 29 to 30 June in Bangkok, Minister Ali Shareef warned that sea‑level rise and coastal erosion are already inflicting severe environmental and economic damage on low‑lying island nations such as the Maldives, and called for urgent “Loss and Damage” funding to help vulnerable states adapt.
At the high‑level segment on the Paris Agreement, the Minister emphasised that small island countries are on the front lines of the climate crisis and called on global partners to secure financial assistance that would enable developing nations to build resilience.
He stressed that there can be no real stability where climate change disrupts livelihoods, reaffirming the Maldives’ commitment to sustainable peace and urging unity in practical action.
Minister Ali Shareef also participated in the Ministerial Roundtable on climate change and energy challenges, where he highlighted the need to integrate the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index into global financing mechanisms to ensure that assistance reaches the most at‑risk nations.
Addressing ongoing energy shortages and supply‑chain bottlenecks, he stressed that countries with the lowest emissions should not bear the brunt of the energy crisis, and called for stronger international solidarity to deliver adequate, clean‑energy solutions. The Minister concluded by assuring that the Maldives would continue to be a constructive partner in both international forums and national implementation.