This Pacific nation is uploading itself before it sinks

july 2, 2025

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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. 

Image: Shutterstock (representative)

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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