{"id":1038,"date":"2019-09-17T14:05:01","date_gmt":"2019-09-17T09:05:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maldives.lareef.net\/?page_id=1038"},"modified":"2020-02-14T15:45:24","modified_gmt":"2020-02-14T10:45:24","slug":"marine-environment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/stem.climate.mv\/index.php\/marine-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"Marine Environment"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1038\" class=\"elementor elementor-1038\" data-elementor-settings=\"[]\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d74e64c elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle elementor-section elementor-top-section\" data-id=\"d74e64c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c2d7880 elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column\" data-id=\"c2d7880\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap  elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cb2f372 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cb2f372\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Marine Environment<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c971758 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default elementor-section elementor-top-section\" data-id=\"c971758\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5940657 elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column\" data-id=\"5940657\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap  elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c9ae5ab elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"c9ae5ab\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d89e96a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default elementor-section elementor-top-section\" data-id=\"1d89e96a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-709de3bd elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column\" data-id=\"709de3bd\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap  elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-55a8f995 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"55a8f995\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><p>Being an archipelago of islands Maldives has a range of coastal ecosystems including:<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:list --><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Coral reefs<\/li>\n<li>Sea grass beds<\/li>\n<li>Lagoons<\/li>\n<li>Beaches<\/li>\n<li>Areas of mangroves<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list --><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>In addition to their global significance, the coastal and marine ecosystems and their resources form the bedrock of the country\u2019s economy. Our two major industries, tourism and fisheries heavily depend on a healthy and diverse marine and coastal ecosystem. These ecosystems also play key roles in providing employment, income, food security and recreation. Furthermore, coral reefs, wetlands and mangrove systems protect the shorelines from wave action and maintain the balance of the environment. The coastline of Maldives is 644 km. Due to the small size of the islands, the whole land area is considered as a coastal zone.<\/p>\n<p>However, over-extraction of coral and sand, habitat destruction and modification, pollution and unsustainable development have led to degradation of these ecosystems.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:image {\"id\":1042,\"align\":\"right\",\"width\":300,\"height\":188} --><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1042\" src=\"https:\/\/maldives.lareef.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/IMG_0212-300x188.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stem.climate.mv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/IMG_0212-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stem.climate.mv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/IMG_0212-768x482.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stem.climate.mv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/IMG_0212-1024x643.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- \/wp:image --><!-- wp:heading --><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #0068ac;\"><strong>Beach Erosion<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><!-- \/wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Beach erosion is among the most serious environmental issues facing the islands of Maldives. Climate change and sea level rise aggravate the erosion process. In addition, bleaching due to El-Nino is a significant threat to the reefs, which provide important protection function for beaches.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Over 80% of the islands are facing erosion issues. It is a dynamic, natural process brought by changes in wind direction and ocean currents due to monsoon shifts. However, human interventions such as sand mining and removal of vegetation, and coastal developments such as harbour construction and land reclamation interfere with sediment movement around the islands, which alter the balance of natural processes along the coastline. In 2014, a total of 116 inhabited islands reported erosion to Ministry of Environment and Energy and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Figure 3-12 shows the erosion status of reported islands based on surveys conducted by the EPA in 2014.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>The small size of the islands forces the people to live next to the sea. Given the close proximity of the settlements to the sea and low elevation of islands, homes of people are at significant risk due to high sea levels.<\/p>\n<p>The coastal systems are identified as a key vulnerable area to the area to the impacts of climate change. The low lying nature of the Maldives, with an elevation lower than one meter above the mean sea level, makes it vulnerable to climate change and its associated impacts, particularly sea level rise.<\/p>\n<p>The observed erosion in the Maldives has been attributed to impacts of climate change, human modification of coastal environment. These human activities include construction of coastal structures, developmental actions on the coastline and sand mining from shallow lagoons.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0068ac;\"><strong>Reference<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>MEE. (2017). <em>State of the Environment 2016,<\/em> Ministry of Environment and Energy<\/p>\n<p>MEE, (2016). <i>Second National Communication of Maldives to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change<\/i>: Ministry of Environment and Energy<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-25b2251 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default elementor-section elementor-top-section\" data-id=\"25b2251\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0889da4 elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column\" data-id=\"0889da4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap  elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f15aee elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"5f15aee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4189ad9 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default elementor-section elementor-top-section\" data-id=\"4189ad9\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17ffad8 elementor-column elementor-col-20 elementor-top-column\" data-id=\"17ffad8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap  elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7c7c5e5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-wp-widget-custom_html\" data-id=\"7c7c5e5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"wp-widget-custom_html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-squared green1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background\" style=\"background-color: transparent;width:100%;padding:5px\" href=\"https:\/\/stem.climate.mv\/index.php\/geography\/\"><strong><h3>Geography<br><\/strong><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dbaa936 elementor-column elementor-col-20 elementor-top-column\" data-id=\"dbaa936\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap  elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d4fe56e elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"d4fe56e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f69953f elementor-column elementor-col-20 elementor-top-column\" data-id=\"f69953f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap  elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9ecae17 elementor-widget elementor-widget-wp-widget-custom_html\" data-id=\"9ecae17\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"wp-widget-custom_html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-squared green1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background\" style=\"background-color: transparent;width:100%;padding:5px\" href=\"https:\/\/stem.climate.mv\/index.php\/marine-environment\/\"><strong><h3>Marine Environment<br><\/strong><\/a><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef851f0 elementor-column elementor-col-20 elementor-top-column\" data-id=\"ef851f0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap  elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de82b35 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"de82b35\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e04177a elementor-column elementor-col-20 elementor-top-column\" data-id=\"e04177a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap  elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-72156a9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-wp-widget-custom_html\" data-id=\"72156a9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"wp-widget-custom_html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-squared green1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background\" style=\"background-color: transparent;width:100%;padding:5px\" href=\"https:\/\/stem.climate.mv\/index.php\/coral-reefs\/\"><strong><h3>Coral Reefs <br><\/strong><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a936cde elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default elementor-section elementor-top-section\" data-id=\"a936cde\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8610c78 elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column\" data-id=\"8610c78\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap  elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-96bdad7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"96bdad7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Marine Environment Being an archipelago of islands Maldives has a range of coastal ecosystems including: Coral reefs Sea grass beds Lagoons Beaches Areas of mangroves In addition to their global significance, the coastal and marine ecosystems and their resources form the bedrock of the country\u2019s economy. Our two major industries, tourism and fisheries heavily depend &#8230; <a title=\"Marine Environment\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/stem.climate.mv\/index.php\/marine-environment\/\">Read more <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Marine Environment<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v14.4.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Marine Environment - STEM Education in Maldives<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Being an archipelago of islands Maldives has a range of coastal ecosystems including Coral reefs, Seagrass beds, Lagoons, Beaches and the areas of mangroves in addition to their global significance, the coastal and marine ecosystems and their resources form the bedrock of the country\u2019s economy. Our two major industries, tourism and fisheries heavily depend on a healthy and diverse marine and coastal ecosystem. These ecosystems also play key roles in providing employment, income, food security and recreation. Furthermore, coral reefs, wetlands, and mangrove systems protect the shorelines from wave action and maintain the balance of the environment. The coastline of Maldives is 644 km. 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