Maldives will be able to cut down carbon emission by 10% by 2030: Toriq

Environment Minister Ibrahim Toriq has said that Maldives will be able to cut down harmful gases being released into the atmosphere by 10% by 2030.

Speaking during a ceremony held at Environment Ministry on Tuesday in which government companies signed a declaration aimed at building an economy low on carbon emission, Minister Toriq said that Maldivian economy could transform into a carbon low economy if reliance on fuel as a source of energy was cut down.

“Though our rate of emission may be low, it amounts to 0.003% of total world carbon emission,” he said.

He said that leading industrial countries needed to cut down their carbon emission in order to minimize the negative impact on small countries like Maldives.

“World temperature should not increase by more than 1.5 Degree Celsius. If it goes higher, it will cause irrevocable damage to low lying island countries like Maldives,” said Minister Toriq.

He called out for the government companies that signed the declaration to adopt energy efficiency and renewable energy.

He also appealed that procurement work by the companies be made environment friendly ‘green procurement.’