Material requirements for adapting to climate change in the Maldives

Small island nations like the Maldives are highly vulnerable to rising sea levels. To protect themselves, they increasingly rely on engineering measures such as breakwaters and land reclamation.

A new study by the University of Augsburg, University of Waterloo, University of Melbourne and the Maledives National University published in Scientific Reports in collaboration with REMASS researcher Dominik Wiedenhofer (BOKU University), investigates the massive material demands these measures will require between 2000 and 2100.

Using material stock and flow analysis, the research team modeled different adaptation strategies. The results show that while engineering measures offer short-term protection, they trigger immense, recurring resource demands. Maintaining existing structures will require 6,400 tons of material annually, totaling 482,000 tons by 2100. In a broader scenario, preserving newly reclaimed land could require up to 1.34 billion tons of cumulative material by the end of the century.

This creates a critical dependency. Since small island states lack local construction materials like sand and rock, they must import them, leaving them vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions, fluctuating prices, and ecological exploitation.

While focused on the Maldives, these findings are vital for all small island states. The study highlights that climate adaptation must be evaluated not just for short-term safety, but for its long-term impact on resources, public finances, and the environment.

Read the full paper here.