Shrinking Sands

The Maldives is an island nation in flux.

This stunning archipelago is often seen on the cover of honeymoon locations and ‘Best Beaches in the World’ lists. With clear blue waters, white sands, and expansive coral reefs, the Maldives feels like an idyllic vacation destination.

Yet, its beaches are changing. Driven by rising sea levels and extreme weather events, the Maldives is one of the most vulnerable nations to climate change. While scientists have recorded that islands are shrinking in some areas, and other islands appear to be growing, everywhere, their coastlines are shifting.

On this World Beach Day, we invite you to consider how much climate change can alter some of our most familiar sites. How can we protect the simple beauty of our favourite beaches?

This award-winning photograph was shortlisted in the Planet Category of the COP28 Photography Competition, a collaboration between The Climate Tribe and the Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Rashid al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA). The Climate Tribe has partnered with HIPA to leverage the power of photography to inspire global awareness of sustainability and advance climate action.