Climate change to cut Maldives' 12% GDP by 2100

Climate change could cause annual economic losses of over 12 percent of the Maldives' Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by the end of this century, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a report on Wednesday, making it the most vulnerable country in the region.

The Maldives is the most at-risk country in South Asia from climate change impacts, said the report titled "Assessing the Costs of Climate Change and Adaptation in South Asia."

"A potential ocean rise of up to 1 meter by 2100 will have devastating consequences for this archipelago, where the highest natural point is only a little over 2 meters above sea level," said Bindu Lohani, ADB vice-president for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development.

Given the uncertainties of climate change, there is a slight possibility losses could swell to more than 38 percent. But if mitigation and adaptation steps are taken, the Maldives will benefit the most in the region, with annual losses limited to around 3.5 percent of GDP by 2100, the report concluded.

Founder of local environmental Non-governmental Organization Ecocare Maeed M. Zahir, however, believes the government is currently far from taking such steps.

"There is no clear-cut adaptation strategy," he told local newspaper Minivan.

Due to its low elevation and small size of islands, the Maldives' energy supplies are particularly at risk from climate change, said the report. Their low elevation and narrow width makes powerhouses and associated infrastructure vulnerable to flooding and damage from severe weather events.

Health issues such as vector-borne diseases could be a major public health concern for the Maldives in the future, the report warned.