Muizzu concerned about climate crisis; will make a priority: Firzul

President-elect Dr Mohmmed Muizzu is concerned about climate change and will focus on addressing the issue, his spokesman Mohamed Firzul Abdulla Haleel said on Monday.

In a recent interview with Qatar's Al-Jazeera, Muizzu responded to a question on climate change, saying he did not have the kind of concern that international agencies have about climate change for the country. That has been said for 50 years, and so far sea levels have not risen to that level, he said.

Many people have been expressing concern and criticism on social media about Muizzu having said that climate change is not a serious issue despite evident natural incidents such as the worsening of El-Nino and La-Nina, the swelling and large waves crashing into the middle of some islands that had not experienced such for over 50 years, as well as the increasing erosion in islands susceptible to it

When asked about it at a press conference held by the president-elect's office on Monday, Firzul said many people had misinterpreted Muizzu’s remarks. In the interview, Muizzu shaped his remarks considering it as a serious issue, he said.

"President-elect Muizzu's remarks are being interpreted in that sense because it is somewhat taken out of context. The president-elect's view is that despite the challenges, as a country, as a state, we can work as we have done in the past," he said.

Firzul interpreted the interview:

Speaking at the Climate Ambition Summit in 2020, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said the net zero emission target could be achieved by 2030 with foreign assistance and cooperation.

When asked by Al-Jazeera whether Maldives was receiving the necessary technical and financial assistance, Muizzu said it was not receiving nearly as much assistance.

When asked whether the net zero target for 2030 could be achieved without the assistance, he said the target was not expected to be achieved by the date given by the government.