Salt Water People » Climate Change

International Day of Climate Action 09

Zim — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:53:16 +0000

350 surface balloons up

On October 24^th which is the international day of climate action of the 350 campaign, 350 divers from the Maldives dived for 24 hours. “we want ways to reduce climate change” was the message given in a multitude of ways.

DAM was joined by the Swimming Association of Maldives and Maldives Windsurf Association.

Cabinet Submerges to Save the Country

Zim — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:21:49 +0000

If we cannot save Maldives today we can’t save rest of the world tomorrow said the President of Maldives during a press briefing after the world’s first ever underwater cabinet meeting. On October 17^th at an island called Girifushi 14 members of the cabinet met underwater and endorsed a statement that is to be carried to the leaders of the world meeting at Copenhagen this December. The statement read

“SOS from the frontline: Climate change is happening and it threatens the rights and security of everyone on Earth. With less than one degree of global warming, the glaciers are melting, the ice sheets collapsing and low lying areas in danger of being swamped. We must unite in a global effort to halt further temperature rises, by slashing carbon dioxide emissions to safe level of 350 parts per million.

Endorsed by the Cabinet of Republic of Maldives on 17th of October 2009”

President of Maldives endorsing a stement from underwater

The cabinet meeting wasn’t a small feat. Behind it all, planning and carrying out every last detail was the Divers Association of Maldives (DAM). For the past 2 months DAM members have been planning this event as part of an action for the 350 campaign. A team of local scuba diving professionals worked day and night to make this a success. On the parts of filming and broadcasting DAM was joined by veteran director Tedry Niyaz and members of Fahudh Studio.

Everything was well choreographed. Which cabinet member is diving with whom? When do they move? How to move? Waiting for the queue to start was an almost breath holding moment. And when the time came it went on like it was a well rehearsed play despite the cabinet members being fairly new to being underwater and the President and Vice President not being present in the previous day’s rehearsal. The President emerged from the blue and swam between 2 Flags of Maldives and took his seat. With the sound of a shaker the meeting began. And the rest was history!

All photos by Mohamed Seeneen (Sindi)

Fore more pictures check out the DAM flick page. http://www.flickr.com/photos/diversmv/sets/72157622633432865/

350, it is more than a number.

Zim — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:44:37 +0000

Despite the arguments by the skeptics there is a lot of evidence we see, here and feel that tells us climate change is real and global warming is affecting everything. The melting of ice causes rise in sea level and the increase in ocean temperature destroys the very coral reefs that is meant to guard the islands from the sea. Decrease in fisheries and an increase in irregular violent weather are just a few examples of what’s happening.

The science is clear but the politicians haven’t made up their mind yet. Not all of them. And most of them are not on the same level on ways to combat climate change. So to make them listen and to make them care a movement called 350 started some years back. The focus is on the number 350 which stands for 350ppm of carbon in the atmosphere. Currently the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere is 387ppm and it is continuing to rise. We need to bring it down to 350ppm which is the maximum we can have. Otherwise life as we know would cease to exist. Humanity will suffer and the earth would just die out.

On October 24th which is marked as international day of climate action, people from all around the world, all countries and territories would be having actions which promote the number 350. The idea is to have many demonstrations so as to grab the attention of the media and make the world leaders listen to the people.

In Maldives several activities are going to take place. And one of the key events on the international day of action is the 24 hour Underwater Rally organized by the Divers Association of Maldives (DAM). 350 divers, diving in teams are going to spend 24 hours underwater. The message DAM is giving is that Maldives is sinking and it’s more than just a country being lost to the sea. A unique heritage is gone. An irreplaceable ecosystem is being destroyed. The rally would be one of a kind.

Another event organized by Divers Association of Maldives is the first ever underwater cabinet meeting. The President of Maldives along with all the cabinet ministers are going to meet underwater while using scuba. Using hand signals and slates they are going to endorse and sign a message from the people of Maldives to the world leaders meeting at Copenhagen this December for the Conference of Parties (COP 15).

: The cabinet of Maldives with dive Instructors of DAM after completing their PADI Discover Scuba Diving Program.

One might think what direct benefit would come out when the cabinet meets underwater and from the underwater rally. There is none! Almost all the actions of October 24th are symbolical. So are the events organized by the Divers Association of Maldives. It is so as to grab the attention of people and make them aware of the number 350. To get the world leaders to implement ways to reduce to amount of carbon to 350ppm and below. We are on the edge. With just a couple of steps forward Maldives along with a number of other vulnerable countries will be lost beneath the waves. We ask everybody not to sign our suicide pact.

To lean more about 350 visit www.350.org
To follow the 350 events of dam check out www.dam.org.mv
Visit the DAM facebook page http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Divers-Assoication-of-Maldives-DAM/119403063518?ref=ts Photos by Mohamed See ne en (Sindi)