President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that if the rise in temperature remains unchecked at 1.5 and jumps to 2 degrees; that is a death sentence to the Maldives.

Delivering the National Statement at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) World Leaders Summit, President Solih said the Maldives is often cited as one of those low-lying countries that could disappear off the map because of the climate crisis but it has already started.

"I am here to tell you that my people are already living the steady onset of this reality." President Solih said. "Just this past month, I was travelling within the Maldives. Of the six islands I visited, all of them were experiencing severe erosion. This is just one example of how our people are having to live with the harsh realities of climate change. Our islands are slowly being inundated by the sea, one by one."

He said that if we do not reverse this trend, the Maldives will cease to exist by the end of this century.

"The science tells us many things. It tells us we are facing a “code red” scenario where global mean temperature is presently at 1.1 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and is rising at frightening pace towards the 1.5 degree ceiling." The Maldivian President said.

He said that the climate emergency cannot be solved by the actions of individual nations alone and the major emitters must step up their nationally determined contributions and make even more ambitious commitments to achieving Net Zero. Countries must band together and assist the most climate-vulnerable states to adapt to climate change.

COP12 marks the first time a Maldivian President has attended the Summit in 12 years.