Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Legacy of Authoritative Environmentalism and Path-Dependent Historic Institutionalism in the Climate Change Policy Dynamics of the Maldives

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Climate Change Research at Universities

Abstract

The Maldives is considered one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. Particularly, the Maldives is facing challenges of democratic governance and transparency, crucial for effective climate change policies and strategies. Limited financial and technical capacity also challenges integration of climate change in environmental policies. There is a dearth of studies on climate change politics and policy of small island nations like the Maldives. Hence, understanding policy dynamics of climate change in a political context is crucial. In this study, the theory of authoritative environmentalism was combined with insights from international relations and comparative politics of historic institutionalism to understand the climate change policy dynamics of the Maldives over the past twenty-five years. The study utilized a qualitative design using document analysis triangulated with semi-structured interviews. The results indicate the implementation and outcomes of climate change policy in the Maldives are influenced by a legacy of authoritative environmentalism and path-dependent historic institutionalism in governance. Consequently, political leadership at the highest level plays a crucial role in the implementation and outcomes of climate change policy in small island states.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Documents were obtained from the official website of the Ministry of Environment and Energy at www.environment.gov.mv.

  2. 2.

    In September 2003 a prisoner was killed by prison guards of Maldives National Defense Force, leading to a prison riot followed by public protests in the Maldives. Maumoon A. Gayoom was elected for a sixth term in 2003 but was forced to bring reforms due to international criticism and political dissents (Shaheed and Upton 2008). Gayoom finally agreed on democratization, after 30 years of dictatorship, paving the way for formulation of a new constitution and democratic elections in 2008.

References

  • Bar Human RightsCommittee (BHRC). (2015). Trial Observation Report - Prosecution of Mohamed Nasheed. Retrieved from London: http://www.barhumanrights.org.uk.

  • Beeson, M. (2010). The coming of environmental authoritarianism. Environmental Politics, 19(2), 276–294. doi:10.1080/09644010903576918.

  • Benedict, B. (1966). Sociological characteristics of small territories and their implications for economic development. The Social Anthropology of Complex Societies. London: Tavistock Publications, 23–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonnerjee, A. (2014). The Maldives: The shifting nature of a welfare state. In G. Koehler & D. Chopra (Eds.), Development and Welfare Policy in South Asia. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. doi:10.3316/QRJ0902027.

  • Braun, V., Clarke, V., & Terry, G. (2014). Thematic analysis. In Poul Rohleder & Antonia C. Lyons (Eds.), Qualitative Research in Clinical Health and Psychology (pp. 95–114). New York: Palgrave MacMillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carmen, E.-B., Bruce, C. G., & Robert, K. (2015). A tale of two atoll nations: A comparison of risk, resilience, and adaptive response of Kiribati and the Maldives. In C. G. Bruce, P. M. Kelly, K. Robert, & T. Ailbhe (Eds.), Climate Change and the Coast (pp. 313–336). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, D. (2012). Analysing responses to climate change through the lens of reflexivity. The British Journal of Sociology, 63(4), 616–640. doi:10.1111/j.1468-4446.2012.01429.x.

  • De Souza, R.-M. (2016). Corruption, Climate Change, and Vulnerability in Small Island States. Retrieved from https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/corruption-climate-change-and-vulnerability-small-island-states.

  • Fathih, M. S. (2016a, 4th February). Translation of President Yameen’s 2016 Presidential Address. Retrieved from http://maldivesindependent.com/politics/translation-of-the-2016-presidential-address-at-the-peoples-majlis-opening-121984.

  • Fathih, M. S. (2016b, 21st April). Maldives ‘remains very hostile for independent and opposition media’. Retrieved from http://maldivesindependent.com/politics/maldives-remains-very-hostile-for-independent-and-opposition-media-123694.

  • Gilley, B. (2012). Authoritarian environmentalism and China’s response to climate change. Environmental Politics, 21(2), 287–307. doi:10.1080/09644016.2012.651904.

  • Gray, S., & Foran, J. (2015). Climate Injustice: The Real History of the Maldives. Berkeley Journal of Sociology, 59, 14–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Han, H. (2015). Authoritarian environmentalism under democracy: Korea’s river restoration project. Environmental Politics, 24(5), 810–829. doi:10.1080/09644016.2015.1051324.

  • Hochstetler, K. (2012). Democracy and the Environemnt in Latin America and Eastern Europe. In P. F. Steinberg & S. D. VanDeveer (Eds.), Comparative Environmental Politics: Theory, Practice and Prospects. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howes, M., Grant-Smith, D., Reis, K., Bosomworth, K., Tangney, P., Heazle, M., Burton, P. (2013). Public policy, disaster risk management and climate change adaptation. Paper presented at the 2013 Public Policy Network Conference, Brisbane. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/64512/.

  • Huitema, D., Jordan, A., Massey, E., Rayner, T., van Asselt, H., Haug, C., Stripple, J. (2011). The evaluation of climate policy: theory and emerging practice in Europe. Policy Sciences, 44(2), 179–198. doi:10.1007/s11077-011-9125-7.

  • Johnson, R. B., Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Turner, L. A. (2007). Toward a Definition of Mixed Methods Research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1(2), 112–133. doi:10.1177/1558689806298224.

  • Karthikheyan, T. C. (2010). Environmental Challenges for Maldives. South Asian Survey, 17(2), 343–351. doi:10.1177/097152311201700210.

  • Kim, E.-s. (2016). The politics of climate change policy design in Korea. Environmental Politics, 25(3), 454–474. doi:10.1080/09644016.2015.1104804.

  • Kingdon, J. W. (1993). How do Issues Get on Public Policy Agenda. In W. J. Wilson (Ed.), Sociology and the Public Policy Agenda (pp. 40–50). Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kraft, M. E. (1999). Environmental policy Environmental Geology (pp. 216–221). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maldives Constitution of 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  • McConnell, A. (2010). Policy Success, Policy Failure and Grey Areas In-Between. Journal of Public Policy, 30(03), 345–362. doi:10.1017/S0143814X10000152.

  • McCright, A. M., & Dunlap, R. E. (2011). The Politicization of Climate Change and Polarization in the American Public’s Views of Global Warming, 2001–2010. Sociological Quarterly, 52(2), 155–194. doi:10.1111/j.1533-8525.2011.01198.x.

  • MEE (Ministry of Environment and Energy). (2016). Maldives Climate Change Policy Framework. Malé, Maldives: Ministry of Environment and Energy.

    Google Scholar 

  • MEEW (Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water). (2007). National Adaptation Programme of Action. Malé, Maldives: Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water.

    Google Scholar 

  • MHAHE (Ministry of Home Affairs, Housing and Environment). (2001). State of the Environment Report Maldives. Malé, Maldives: Ministry of Home Affairs, Housing and Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • MHAHE (Ministry of Home Affairs, Housing and Environment). (1999). Second National Environment Action Plan. Malé: Ministry of Home Affairs, Housing and Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • MHTE (Ministry of Housing Transport and Environment). (2009). Maldives National Strategy for Sustainable Development. Malé, Maldives: Ministry of Housing, Transport and Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • MHTE (Ministry of Housing, Transport and Environment). (2009). Third National Environment Action Plan. Malé, Maldives: Ministry of Housing, Transport and Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • MOFT (Ministry of Finance and Treasury). (2015). Maldives Population and Housing Census 2014: Statistical Release:1 Population and Households. Maldives: Ministry of Finance and Treasury Retrieved from http://statisticsmaldives.gov.mv/population-and-households/.

  • MPHRE (Ministry of Planning, Human Resources and Environment). (1990). National Environment Action Plan. Malé, Maldives: Ministry of Planning, Human Resources and Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • MPHRE (Ministry of Planning, Human Resources and Environment). (1994). State of the Environment Maldives. Malé, Maldives: Ministry of Planning, Human Resources and Environment.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulberry, M. (2012, July). The Maldives - From Dictatorship to Democracy, and Back? Retrieved from https://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/maldives-dictatorship-democracy-back/.

  • Naish, A. (2016, 19th July). Majilis grants ministers authority over top civil servant. Retrieved from http://maldivesindependent.com.

  • Naseem, A. (2016, 11th May). Yameen’s (?) Maldives. Retrieved from http://www.dhivehisitee.com/executive/yameen-maldives/.

  • Naylor, A. K. (2015). Island morphology, reef resources, and development paths in the Maldives. Progress in Physical Geography, 39(6), 728–749. doi:10.1177/0309133315598269.

  • Paddock, R. C. (2016, 27th August). Embattled Maldives President Faces Accusations of Corruption, Past and Present. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/28/world/asia/maldives-mohamed-nasheed-abdulla-yameen.html.

  • Purdon, M. (2015). Advancing Comparative Climate Change Politics: Theory and Method. Global Environmental Politics, 15(3), 1–26. doi:10.1162/GLEP_e_00309.

  • Rasheed, A. A. (2014). Historical institutionalism in the Maldives: A case of governance failure. Maldives National Journal of Research, 2(1), 7–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shafeeg, A. (2000). History of Maldives. Dhanfulhi, 1, 1–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaheed, A., & Upton, J. (2008). Maldives: Reform Deferred? Challenges and Lost Opportunities for Democratic Transition. Paper presented at the 9th Annual Conference of Centre for the Study of Islam and Democracy,, Washington DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shakeela, A., & Becken, S. (2015). Understanding tourism leaders’ perceptions of risks from climate change: an assessment of policy-making processes in the Maldives using the social amplification of risk framework (SARF). Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(1), 65–84. doi:10.1080/09669582.2014.918135.

  • Smith, J. B., Vogel, J. M., & Ill, J. E. C. (2009). An architecture for government action on adaptation to climate change. An editorial comment. Climatic Change, 95(1), 53–61. doi:10.1007/s10584-009-9623-1.

  • South Asia Cooperation for Environment Programme. (2002). Handbook on National Environmental Legislation and Institutions in the Maldives. Retrieved from Colombo, Sri Lanka: http://www.sacep.org/pdf/Reports-Technical/2001-UNEP-SACEP-Law-Handbook%20-Maldives.pdf.

  • Steinberg, P. F. (2012). Welcome to the jungle: policy theory and political instability. In P. F. Steinberg & S. D. VanDeveer (Eds.), Comparative environmental politics: theory practice and prospects (pp. 255–284). Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Television for Education Asia Pacific (Producer). (2009). Small Islands, Big Impact - featuring President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10_RZl51-ko&feature=youtu.be.

  • Transparency Maldives. (2015). Climate finance governance in Maldives: Pressing issues, Position Paper. Retrieved from Maldives: http://transparency.mv/2015/08/climate-finance-governance-in-maldives-pressing-issues/.

  • United Nations Environment Programme. (2005). Maldives: Post-Tsunami Environmental Assessment. Retrieved from UNEP Nairobi, Kenya: http://www.unep.org/tsunami/reports/maldives.pdf.

  • Zuhair, M. H., & Kurian, P. A. (2016). Socio-economic and political barriers to public participation in EIA: implications for sustainable development in the Maldives. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 34(2), 129–142. doi:10.1080/14615517.2016.1176404.

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Australian Government for funding the primary researcher’s Ph.D. project at James Cook University. We are also grateful for the support and assistance provided by the College of Marine and Environmental Sciences of James Cook University. We also would like to acknowledge the heads of Live and Learn Environmental Education Maldives and Eco-Care Maldives for their assistance. Also special thanks to the staff of the Ministry of Environment and Energy and Dr. Mariyam Shakeela, for her contribution. We appreciate the editor in chief and the reviewers of this book, for their guidance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

    Ibrahim Mohamed & David King

  2. Centre For Disaster Management, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

    David King

Authors
  1. Ibrahim Mohamed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. David King
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ibrahim Mohamed .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg Univ of Applied Sciences Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Mohamed, I., King, D. (2017). Legacy of Authoritative Environmentalism and Path-Dependent Historic Institutionalism in the Climate Change Policy Dynamics of the Maldives. In: Leal Filho, W. (eds) Climate Change Research at Universities. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58214-6_13

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation