By Atlas Al

The United Nations Climate Change Conference – dubbed COP15 because Copenhagen is this year’s host – is about to wrap up. Even if the world’s countries come to an agreement and implement their promises to curb climate change, the Maldives will most likely sink anyway. Maldivian President, Mohamed Nasheed, and his cabinet staged an underwater meeting to make the world aware of their country’s inevitable future.

According to Cnn.com’s October 8, 2009 article, Cabinet in drowning Maldives to meet underwater, President Nasheed said he wants to use tourist revenue to buy land in neighboring countries. “We will invest in land. We do not want to end up in refugee tents if the worst happens.” India, Sri Lanka, and Australia are “receptive” to the idea. They better be receptive: we don’t want to lose one of the world’s flags.

Are there implications to the Maldives buying land in other countries or will it affect its flag status? Will scores of Indian/Sri Lankan/Australian citizens have to relocate to make room for hundreds of thousands of Maldivian environmental refugees?

This wouldn’t be the first time huge tracts of land were purchased for/from another country:

–1719, Liechtenstein: Anton Florian of Liechtenstein was crowned the first prince of the small principality by Holy Roman Emperor, Charles VI, after purchasing the lordship of Schellenberg and the county of Vaduz.

–1803, Louisiana Purchase: The United States bought a slice of land so huge it makes up roughly one quarter of the total landmass of the current United States. Napoleon received $15 million.

–1819, Adams-Onis Treaty: The United States settled a border dispute with Spain. Essentially, a new U.S.-Spain border was established, and Spain received $5,000,000 from the U.S. in return for Florida and parts of Mississippi and Alabama.

–1867, Alaska Purchase: The United States bought the Alaska Territory from the Russian Empire for $7.2 million (1.9¢ per acre).

It’s unfortunate that the cumulative irresponsibility of the world will force the people of the Maldives to flee their homeland. It’s not a question of “if,” rather a question of “when,” another country will be put into a similar situation. Which lucky flag shall be affected next by climate change?

Flags of the World, Asian flags, Maldivian flag

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