Dancing with Waves and Currents in the Maldives

Every child who has whimsically built a sandcastle only to see it washed away by the tide understands a fundamental truth: the ocean consistently prevails.

Historically, coastal defense strategies have focused on the fight against the sea, employing methods like sea walls, jetties, and beach nourishment through dredged sand to combat waves and coastal erosion. However, these strategies are merely temporary. Over time, the ocean reclaims the dredged sand, powerful surf damages walls, and jetties redirect erosion elsewhere. Ultimately, the ocean emerges victorious.

As climate change accelerates sea level rise and exacerbates coastal erosion, innovative solutions are more urgent than ever. With eight of the world’s ten largest cities located near coastlines, a recent report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) noted record-high global sea levels in 2023. It warned that high-tide flooding has become 300 to 900 percent more frequent than it was fifty years ago, putting homes, businesses, roads, bridges, and essential infrastructure at significant risk.

Island nations, in particular, are feeling the brunt of these challenges, highlighting the desperate need for effective solutions. MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab is addressing this issue with groundbreaking strategies that respect natural processes — with some human assistance.

The Maldives, an Indian Ocean nation with nearly 1,200 islands, has traditionally relied on land reclamation through dredging to combat coast erosion. Collaborating with Maldivian climate technology firm Invena Private Limited, the Self-Assembly Lab is exploring innovative coastal erosion solutions that harness natural ocean currents to strategically gather sand. Their Growing Islands project develops and implements underwater structures that utilize wave energy, promoting sand accumulation in targeted areas—ultimately helping to expand islands and restore coastlines sustainably, with potential applications in coastal regions worldwide.

“There’s a need for a fresh perspective on climate adaptation, one that collaborates with nature and employs data for fair decision-making,” explains Sarah Dole, co-founder and CEO of Invena.

MIT’s pioneering research was highlighted during several presentations at the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week in New York City in late September. In these forums, Self-Assembly Lab co-founder Skylar Tibbits and Maldives Minister of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim discussed findings from the Growing Islands project at MIT Solve’s Global Challenge Finals.

“We’re seeing an intriguing narrative unfold around island dynamics,” Tibbits commented. His U.N.-sponsored panel, titled “Adaptation Through Innovation: How the Private Sector Could Lead the Way,” was co-hosted by the Government of Maldives and the U.S. Agency for International Development, a supporter of the Growing Islands project.

In a recent interview, Tibbits noted that islands exhibit lifelike qualities: they can grow, adapt, and change. Despite predictions forecasting doom for the Maldives due to rising sea levels and erosion, he opined, “Perhaps these islands are more resilient than previously believed. We might learn significantly from these natural sand formations, which could serve as a better model for adapting to future challenges related to sea level rise and climate change than our artificial cities.”

Since 2017, the MIT Self-Assembly Lab and Invena have conducted laboratory studies and field tests to evaluate the effectiveness of submersible structures to expand islands and restore coastlines around Male, the Maldivian capital. Initially, these experiments have shown promise in utilizing submersible structures and natural currents to facilitate sand accumulation.

The work is considered “boundary-pushing,” according to Alex Moen, chief explorer engagement officer at the National Geographic Society, an early project supporter.

“Skylar and his team’s cutting-edge technology exemplifies the innovative, solution-oriented approaches necessary to confront the escalating threats of sea level rise and erosion faced by island nations and coastal areas,” Moen stated.

Recently, in August 2024, the team submerged a significant 60-by-60-meter structure in a lagoon near Male. This new installation is six times larger than its earlier 2019 counterpart, which proved successful, yet was limited by the seasonal shifts in ocean currents of the Maldives. “Our aim for this structure is to create something omnidirectional, capable of accumulating sand irrespective of seasonal changes,” Tibbits emphasized. “We believe this experiment has the highest potential for significant sand accumulation, and we are thrilled about the possibilities.”

The next phase will focus on combating beach erosion, intending not only to expand beaches but also to enhance recreational spaces for local communities and support marine ecosystems, including fish and coral habitats. “This will be the first large-scale installation specifically designed for marine habitats,” Tibbits shared.

A crucial aspect of the Growing Islands initiative occurs in Tibbits’ lab at MIT, where researchers are advancing techniques to track changes in low-lying islands using satellite imagery analysis. This innovative method is expected to replace current, labor-intensive surveying processes conducted on-site by drones and manual assessments.

“In time, we could monitor coastal changes on a global scale, observing how every island and shoreline evolves,” Tibbits envisions. “Are islands shrinking or expanding? How quickly are they eroding? Currently, comprehensive surveys are not scalable routes, but we believe we have a burgeoning solution.”

Additionally, a Mobile Ocean Innovation Lab, envisioned as a “floating hub,” aims to equip small island developing states with the technology needed to enhance coastal resilience, conservation, and renewable energy initiatives. “Our goal is to mobilize any location worldwide and collaborate with local communities, innovators, and scientists to jointly develop and deploy these technologies effectively,” Tibbits remarked.

Expanding the reach of nature-collaborative climate change solutions hinges on garnering widespread support from individuals, organizations, and governments alike.

“Two significant challenges exist,” Tibbits explained. “The first is the historical precedent of hard infrastructure that limits our perception of future possibilities. We’ve built coastlines with rigid structures for generations; hence, we’ve accumulated knowledge and confidence in those methods, which must shift. The second challenge is the ‘money-speed-convenience problem,’ along with the known-versus-unknown dilemma—rigid infrastructure often comes with defined costs and timelines, which is a mindset we’re accustomed to. Nature, however, evolves independently on its own timeline.”

Collaborating with oceanic forces to protect island habitats requires a fundamental shift in perspective, yet Tibbits insists it is a beneficial endeavor.

“We absolutely need to work in harmony with nature. Resisting it leads to inevitable defeat,” he stated. “By combining the positive attributes of our environment with innovative human creativity, we can create outcomes that exceed the sum of their individual parts.”