Maldives vows to be first carbon-neutral nation  

Given the possibility of the nation being inundated by rising seas in the coming years, the Maldives are more motivated than most to cease carbon dioxide emissions, and are unsruprisingly aiming to be carbon neutral as soon as possible - Maldives vows to be first carbon-neutral nation.

The Maldives will shift entirely to renewable energy over the next decade to become the first carbon-neutral nation and fight climate change that threatens the low-lying archipelago's existence, the president said on Sunday.

President Mohamed Nasheed said the Indian Ocean islands would swap fossil fuels for wind and solar power, and buy and destroy EU carbon credits to offset emissions from tourists flying to visit its luxury vacation resorts. "Climate change threatens us all. Countries need to pull together to de-carbonize the world economy," Nasheed said in a statement. "We know cutting greenhouse gas emissions is possible and the Maldives is willing to play its part."

The $1.1 billion plan would require 155 wind turbines supplying 1.5 megawatts each and a half a square kilometer of solar panels to meet the needs of the islands' 385,000 people. "We aim to become carbon-neutral in a decade," he said.

The state-owned electricity monopoly will be privatized, and investors and donors invited to take part in the plan.

The program envisions installing battery backup in case wind and solar sources are inadequate, and a power plant to be run off coconut husks in the capital, Male.