A Third Of Tuvalu’s Population Applies For Australia’s Climate Visa Amid Rising Sea Threat

As the waters steadily rise around the low-lying Pacific nation of Tuvalu, more than a third of its population is seeking a lifeline: the opportunity to migrate to Australia under a groundbreaking climate visa scheme.

In a striking response to the new visa program, over 1,100 Tuvaluans have already applied since the lottery opened earlier this month. Including family members, the total number of applicants has surged to 4,052—an extraordinary figure for a nation of just 11,000 people.

Tuvalu’s ambassador to the United Nations, Tapugao Falefou, admitted he was “startled by the huge number of people vying for this opportunity.” The rush of applications, he said, reflects a deep sense of urgency within the island community, which is now anxiously watching to see who among them will become the first official climate migrants.

This visa initiative stems from the Falepili Union treaty, signed in 2023 by Australia and Tuvalu. Designed to safeguard Tuvaluan citizens as their homeland faces the looming threat of submersion, the agreement allows up to 280 Tuvaluans annually to live, work, and study in Australia. The cap aims to prevent a mass exodus that could cause a critical brain drain in Tuvalu.

Successful applicants will receive access to healthcare, education, and other public services on par with Australian citizens—offering not just safety, but a stable future. Falefou also noted that relocating to Australia would enable Tuvaluans to send money back home, providing crucial support to family members who remain behind.

The urgency behind the applications is grounded in sobering science. According to NASA projections, if sea levels rise by one metre by 2050—a likely scenario—half of Funafuti, Tuvalu’s main atoll and home to 60% of its population, will be submerged during daily high tides. In the worst-case scenario of a two-metre rise, 90% of the atoll could vanish beneath the waves.

Currently, Tuvalu's average elevation is just two metres above sea level. Over the past 30 years, the sea surrounding the island has risen by 15 centimetres—one and a half times the global average. In response, the country has begun constructing artificial land, adding seven hectares so far, with more development planned in hopes of preserving habitable space through the end of the century.

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