The Maldives, a low-lying Indian Ocean archipelago, was long heralded as doomed by rising sea levels, with warnings from Al Gore and former President Mohamed Nasheed predicting submersion and climate refugees. Yet, over a decade later, 97% of its 709 islands are stable or growing, with beaches expanding due to natural sand and coral deposits from modest 1-3 mm annual sea level rises, defying catastrophic claims as new resorts and airports flourish.