马尔代夫总统近日在首都北部一处20英尺（约合6米）深的海域举行了世界上首个水下内阁会议，希望以此引起世界各国对全球变暖问题的关注。这次水下内阁会议进行了30分钟，出席会议的内阁成员们都穿着专业潜水衣围坐在一个马蹄形的桌子旁边通过白板和手势互相交流。据称，此次会议结束后，内阁成员们亲笔签名的潜水衣将通过专门网站拍卖，所得钱款将用于珊瑚礁的保护。印度洋岛国马尔代夫是一个旅游胜地，其地理位置仅高于海平面3英尺。科学家警告说，因为全球变暖，海平面上升，这个国家可能在不到100年的时间里将不复存在。

The government of the Maldives has held its first underwater cabinet meeting to attract international attention to the dangers of global warming.

The government of the Maldives has held its first underwater cabinet meeting to attract international attention to the dangers of global warming.

President Mohamed Nasheed, dressed in full scuba gear, conducted the 30-minute meeting at a depth of 20 feet off the coast just north of the capital Male.

Most of the island nation, a tourist paradise featuring coral reefs and white sand beaches, lies less just over three feet above sea level and scientists have warned it could be uninhabitable in less than 100 years.

Aminath Shauna, the event's co-ordinator, said the ministers had signed their wetsuits, which would be auctioned on the protectthemaldives.com website to raise money for coral reef protection in the atoll-chain.

The government arranged a horseshoe-shaped table on the seabed for the ministers, who communicated using white boards and hand signals.

The Divers Association of Maldives said the ministers, who had trained over the past two months, felt confident about the unprecedented meeting.

Of the 14-member cabinet, three ministers did not take part in the dive, as two have a medical condition while the third is currently in Europe.

The Maldives, located southwest of Sri Lanka, has become a vocal campaigner in the battle to halt rising sea levels.

In 2007, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that a rise in sea levels of seven to 24 inches by 2100 would be enough to make the country virtually uninhabitable.

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(Agencies)

（英语点津 Helen 编辑）