Citizens of climate-threatened Tuvalu will have the right to live in Australia, under a landmark pact unveiled Friday.
Here are some key facts about the Pacific Island nation and its battle to slow the rising seas:
What’s the issue?
Tuvalu is a nation of nine coral islands nestled in the South Pacific.
It has been defined by the United Nations as "extremely vulnerable" to the effects of climate change, with most of its landmass less than five metres (16 feet) above sea level.
Most of it is predicted to be underwater -- at least some of the time -- by 2100.
Around 40% of the main atoll Funafuti already gets submerged during periodic "king" tides that wash away taro and cassava which were the islands' staple crops.
Two of the atolls represented on its flag of 11 stars have already disappeared.
What’s being done?
Tuvalu can't stem the tide. But it has tried to mitigate the impact of saltwater contamination, coastal erosion, floods and mega storms.
A coastal adaptation project aims to reclaim around 3.8 kilometres of land from the ocean and raise land levels in the most vulnerable spots.
Tuvalu has also turned the battle against climate change into a campaign of guerilla diplomacy.
A man walks past a giant piece of driftwood on the shoreline of Tepuka Islet in Funafuti Atoll on February 22, 2004. Citizens of climate-threatened Tuvalu will have the right to live in Australia under a landmark pact unveiled on November 10, 2023 -- an offer of refuge as their Pacific homeland is lost beneath the seas. | Photo Credit: AFP
Its foreign minister has addressed a UN climate conference standing shin-deep in seawater to raise the profile of the country's plight.
Tuvalu has backed the creation of a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty, among other innovative legal strategies -- like asking for carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean to be categorised as a pollutant.
Authorities have also suggested creating a digital copy of the country to preserve the nation's culture in case it is lost.
Is the deal with Australia significant?
The proposed treaty with Australia could help Tuvalu in several ways.
It provides funding for mitigation efforts and commits Australia to helping in the event of storms or natural disasters.
It also gives Tuvaluans the right to work and seek refuge in Australia should the worst come to the worst -- offsetting some of the cost of climate-induced economic damage and providing much-needed revenue.
Politically, it also nudges Australia to more ambitious climate policies.
Australia has often been a laggard in global climate talks, as one of the world's largest coal and gas producers.
The treaty commits Australia and Tuvalu to "work together in the face of the existential threat posed by climate change."
While that may not be enough to ensure the success of any global emissions reduction targets, it will increase pressure on Canberra to play a more constructive role.
