1,192 coral islands, there are 188 regularly inhabited islands, 109 resort islands and 128 industrial and other islands.17 The average elevation above sea level is only 1.5 meters,18 with more than 80% of the islands in the Maldives being one meter or less above sea level.19 24. Sea level rises are known to be accelerating,20 and given the Maldives' elevation the anticipated impact of climate change will likely be severe, with significant portions of the state likely to become inundated and uninhabitable. In its Report, the Maldives indicated that climate change poses both "developmental and existential challenges".21 25. Although the country has established a Climate Change Policy Framework,22 as a low-lying island state it remains at a high risk. Specific concerns have been previously identified. Forced displacement is one such risk,23 with the 2004 tsunami having resulted in internal displacement issues.24 Solutions to climate change-induced statelessness are somewhat unique as the stateless persons' homeland may be non-existent (i.e. totally submerged), and possibilities including cession of territory by other States has been considered.25 26. Climate change-induced statelessness raises complex questions about the concept of statehood and nationality. Addressing these questions requires cooperation at an international level. Climate change adaption plans such as the Maldives' National Adaption Programme26 go some way to addressing practical concerns, however greater participation by the Maldives in the statelessness space, including ratification of key treaties, would likely go some way to opening meaningful dialogue around management of the imminent forced displacement risks faced by its citizens. Religious Practices and Birth Registration 27. According to a 2018 report by the US State Department, the Maldives' Constitution does not make any express references to or preservations for religious freedoms.27 This observation aligns with the current reservations placed by the Maldives on Article 18 of the ICCPR ad Article 14.1 of the CRC which seeks to protect the enshrined State religion (Islam) and the flow-on discriminations that attach as a result. A lack of religious freedoms (i.e. discrimination on the basis of religion) has a direct correlation with citizenship (and therefore potential statelessness) in the Maldives. 17 Republic of Maldives National Bureau of Statistics, Maldives-Populations and Housing Census 2014, (5 November 2014) 15. 18 John H. Knox, Linking Human Rights and Climate Change at the United Nations, 33 Harv.ENVTL.L.REV. 477, 480 (2009). 19 UN Committee Against Tortur, Initial Report submitted by Maldives under article 19 of the Conventions, due in 2005, UN Doc CAT/C/MDV/1 (17 October 2017) 6. 20 See for example, United Nations: Climate Change, Global Sea Level Rise is Accelerating - Study (13 February 2018), <https://unfccc.int/news/global-sea-level-rise-is-accelerating-study> 21 Report, 2. 22 Ibid 21. 23 Susin Park, Climate Change and the Risk of Statelessness: The Situation of Low-lying Island States (2011), 10 <https://www.unhcr.org/en-au/protection/globalconsult/4df9cb0c9/20-climate-change-risk-statelessness-situation-lowlying-island-states.html> 24 Ibid 2. 25 Ibid 18. 26 United Nations Development Program, Climate Change Adaption: Maldives, < https://www.adaptationundp.org/explore/maldives>. 27United States Department of State, 2018 Report on International Religious Freedom: Maldives (21 June 2019) <https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-report-on-international-religious-freedom/maldives/ >. 6