The president of the Republic of Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed offered to impose tourists with an additional environmental tax – $ 3 a day. On this money the country is supposed to develop and realize the program on reducing harmful emissions to the zero level for 10 years.
The new tax will be introduced in the near future. Now it is under development and must be approved by the Parliament of the Republic.
However, the money from the new tax will not only be used for reducing harmful emissions in the country. The part of means is planned to be used for the struggle against increase of the ocean level, due to which the Maldives can already be under water by 2100.
Maldives – is one of the most popular resorts in the world. In 2008 680 thousand tourists have spent their vocations on this paradise Islands. According to calculations, from the new tax Maldives will receive $ 6 million a year on environmental programs.
Every year, tourists bring to economy of Maldives about 215 million dollars. Now vacationers will leave there “a little more”.
We would like to remind that increase of the ocean level seriously threatens Maldives with flooding. Most of the island rises above the sea level by only 1.5 meters. The highest point of the country is 2.5 meters above the level of the ocean today.
