The President of Maldives – a large group of islands southwest of India – announced a new initiative to raise money by imposing a new tax on tourists. If passed by Parliament, the proposal will cost tourists about $3 per day they spend on the island, netting nearly $6.3 million annually, according to Reuters.

The island group, which receives nearly one-quarter of its revenue from tourism, is known mainly for its luxury resorts. But, climate change and rising sea levels are predicted to drastically change the archipelago — many of its islands will be completely submerged by 2100.

This is not the first green initiative introduced by President Mohammed Nasheed. He has also announced plans for the island nation to become completely carbon-neutral over the next decade. The resorts are accessible only by plane, which means 700,000 visitors fly in and out each year.

Maldives is not the only group of islands facing challenges presented by risiing sea levels. While islands in the South Pacific like Fiji, the Cook Islands and the Solomon Islands face the most immediate risk, eventually these rising sea levels will spread to affect more regions.

The 15-nation Caribbean community, which includes popular vacation destinations like Jamaica, Belize and the Bahamas, will meet later this month to discuss how to bring more attention to low-lying areas of their countries.  Resort destinations aside, more than half of these countries’ populations live within a mile of the coast.

Exotic and far-flung esorts aren’t the only places at risk — a recent report by scientists also lists Florida — particularly the southern parts — and new york City as high-risk for land loss due to rising sea levels. While carbon-offsetting and reducing greenhouse emissions will help to slow this process, once the water levels rise, they can’t be corrected.

By Kristen Hawley