---
title: Leadership is contagious!
date: 2009-11-12T17:14:06Z
modified: 2009-11-11T17:05:25Z
permalink: "https://350.org/leadership-contagious/"
type: post
status: publish
excerpt: Just yesterday President Nasheed of the Maldives gave one of the most powerful speeches on climate change there has ever been.
wpid: 13862
author: Will Bates
---

Just yesterday President Nasheed of the Maldives gave one of the most [powerful speeches](https://www.350.org/about/blogs/what-does-leader-sound) on climate change there has ever been. And it certainly seems to have had a positive effect. Today 10 more countries are joining with the Maldives in voluntarily committing to be carbon neutral! Bangladesh, Barbados, Bhutan, Ghana, Kenya, Kiribati, Maldives, Nepal, Rwanda, Tanzania and Vietnam — they are 11 of the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, now also the "Climate Vulnerable Forum" or the V11.

The declaration they adopted today is an unprecedented display of what real government leadership looks like. And the 350 science is right in there as well — a beautiful example of how _your_ _citizen_ leadership has helped make this possible.

Now it’s time for the countries that have caused all this mess to catch the leadership bug. And now we all have 11 strong examples to point towards. Fantastic!

You can visit the [Climate Vulnerable Forum website](https://www.climatevulnerableforum.gov.mv/) to find the full declaration text. Photo: Mauroof Khaleel