As temperatures get warmer and sea levels rise, many countries are now facing issues of a new kind, ones where the main viable solution to subsist and survive is displacement. Such is the case for Tuvalu, a country in the Pacific Ocean that is literally sinking and seeing its landmass shrink by the day.
Serving as a tangible reminder of the harsh consequences of global warming, the climate-threatened nation is having to resort to extreme measures to not disappear from the surface of the Earth. This week, government officials announced striking a bi-partisan agreement with Australia in order for its citizens to “live, study, and work elsewhere, as climate change impacts worsen.”
According to the statements made by both nations, Australia has agreed to welcome no more than 280 Tuvalu nationals per year under an already existing visa type for residents of the Pacific. Tuvalu has a total population of approximately 11,204 (2021), meaning that Australia will take in 2.5% of the nation’s population entire population within a year, every year. The limited number of long-term entries would have been imposed to avoid, as much as possible, collaterally triggering a brain-drain phenomenon, which is the mass migration of highly-skilled and talented individuals resulting in implications for the country’s economy.
According to experts, the chain of islands could be completely submerged by the end of the century. In fact, the process of submersion has already begun as the tiny Polynesian State was once comprised of 11 islands. Today, Tuvalu only counts nine as three have already gone underwater over the past few years.
Although it is encouraging to see some nations assist those who are disproportionately affected by global emissions, it also raises important questions about the broader global response to climate change. While bilateral agreements provide temporary relief for those directly impacted, they should more importantly highlight the need for more comprehensive and collaborative international efforts to address its root causes.