The Maldives should be and very much need to be as submerged as possible in order to extend their long-term existence. They're coral atoles formed atop an eroding ancient volcano.
Remaining above sea level doesn't allow for coral growth and thus the buildup which created them in the first place.
Granted, they, like other similar islands, have actually seen growth as storms with rising sea levels deposit more sediment on them. But that is far less stable than actual coral reef, so it erodes much more easily, and is thus short-term growth.
For some reason no one can explain, sea levels have been significantly lower during the current interglacial than it has with previous. Many such islands should be even more or completely soon submerged. Even Florida is even larger than it should be, a significant portion of it should be underwater.
