VP Latheef calls for legal certainty, scaled finance to combat sea level rise

Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef has called for resilience, legal certainty, and scaled finance to combat sea level rise.

He made the appeal while delivering Maldives’ statement at the High-Level Plenary Meeting on Addressing the Existential Threats Posed by Sea Level Rise, held at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) on Thursday.

VP Latheef emphasized that the answer to rising seas cannot be retreat but must be resilience.

Recalling that the Maldives first brought the issue to the Assembly nearly four decades ago, culminating in the 1989 Malé Declaration on Global Warming and Sea Level Rise, the VP said the warning has become increasingly urgent. With rising seas posing growing threats to infrastructure, livelihoods, vital economic sectors, and development across Small Island Developing States (SIDS), he called for decisive action in three key areas.

Elaborating on the first priority, the VP called for adaptation financing to be significantly scaled up, stressing that support for SIDS must be predictable, accessible, grant-based, and concessional. He emphasised the importance of ensuring that funding reaches vulnerable countries early enough to mitigate risks, while also underscoring the need for a dedicated mechanism to monitor sea level rise, noting that the international community cannot effectively address a challenge it cannot measure.

On the issue of legal protections, VP Latheef stressed that international law must provide certainty and clarity. He argued that rising sea levels must not affect lawful baselines, maritime zones, or the entitlements of states, asserting that statehood, sovereignty, and UN membership must remain protected. While geographical circumstances may change, he maintained that a state’s legal identity must not be affected.

Turning to development planning, the VP called for resilience to be incorporated into core national policies, including infrastructure planning and economic strategies. He noted that the Maldives is already integrating such measures through its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), while urging development partners to support efforts to expand these investments.

Concluding his statement, VP Latheef emphasized that sea level rise requires sustained attention from the international community, calling on leaders to translate commitments into concrete action that strengthens resilience and protects the future.