Maybe you've already heard: The Maldives is sinking
If you can find somebody to sponsor it, of course!
The Maldives is the epitome of paradise with its bone-white sand, towering palms and crystal-clear waters, but the low-lying chain of 1,190 islands in the Indian Ocean will not be around forever. Sitting at an average of just five feet above sea level (with 80 percent of the Maldives less than three feet above the encroaching waves), many scientists predict that rising water levels could submerge the chain by the turn of the century.
The only real question being - which century?
The $500 million joint venture with architectural firm Dutch Docklands International will create the largest series of artificial floating islands in the world. The islands will be anchored to the seabed using cables or telescopic mooring piles to keep the structures stable throughout the worst of the Indian Ocean's storms, while simultaneously minimizing the environmental impact.And when Mother Nature proves the inadequacy of the design, there'll be plenty of UN disaster funding.