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As much as 90% of Tuvalu, a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean roughly midway between Hawaii and Australia, will be regularly under water by the year 2100.
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The country, with a population of just around 11,000 people, is facing an existential threat. With no mountains or safe inlands and rising seas, retreat is nearly impossible.
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Tuvalu currently has no part of its land that is above six metres, making it one of the most risky places globally affected by rising seas due to climate change.
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In 2023, Tuvalu signed a deal with Australia, the Falepili Union, in which the latter agreed to offer migration and aid for the impending climate crisis.
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The most important part of the agreement was a visa program under which Australia will allow 280 Tuvalu nationals to move to Australia permanently every year.
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The Tuvaluans will get full rights to live, study and work along with access to healthcare. Acceptances will be based on a random ballot.
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On June 16, 2025, Australia opened a nearly one-month application window, and more than 4,000 people have already applied under the scheme, according to a CNN report.
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Sea levels around Tuvalu are rising faster than the rest of the world, making floods very common and food production increasingly difficult.
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Many huge seawalls, coastal defences, and land reclamation projects are already under construction to buy some time for Tuvaluans against the rising oceans.
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Apart from the visa program, Australia has also committed to aiding climate adaptation and emergency relief, aimed at helping Tuvalu deal with major natural disasters.
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In 2022, Tuvalu announced at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, that it is planning to become the first nation in the world to move entirely online to preserve its heritage.
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The country’s government is planning to ‘digitally recreate its land, archive its rich history and culture and move all government functions into a digital space.’
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Many countries, including Australia, now officially recognise Tuvalu’s digital sovereignty. Tuvalu hopes to retain its identity and function as a state even after its land is gone.
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While Tuvalu is the first nation to plan relocation at such a large scale, it won’t be the last. With climate change, rising sea levels may threaten many nations in the future.
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