Tourists may have to pay a $3 per day “Green Tax” in the Maldives

Maldives President Nasheed Proposes a GreenTax for Tourists

“We have introduced a green tax. It’s in the pipeline. It’s a matter of parliament approving it and I hope parliament will approve it – US$3 per each tourist a day,” Maldives President Nasheed told reporters in Male, the Maldivian capital city.

Purpose of Maldives Green Tax

The proposed Maldives Green Tax is intended to fund President Nasheed’s plans for battling climate change (which greatly affects water levels and Maldives fishing) and for making the Maldives a carbon-neutral nation by 2020.

Maldives Green Tax and Global Warming

The Maldives Green Tax and its intention to fund the battle against global warming is especially important for the Maldives since the average elevation of the Maldives islands are just 7 feet above sea level, making them the lowest-lying islands in the world. Sadly, it is estimated that the Maldives could be completely submerged due to rising sea levels by 2030.

Maldives Green Tax Potential

The Maldives Green Tax has the potential to bring in over $6 million annually to battle climate change and other environmental issues, assuming that 700,000 people visit the Maldives each year, and average a stay of three days.

However, the Maldivian government has acknowledged it needs outside investment in addition to the Maldives Green Tax to fund those plans.

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