"Even If It Disappears, Please Remember"…This Country Sinking Due to Climate Change, Its Last Resort

South Pacific Island Nation Tuvalu Faces Threat of Submersion Due to Climate Change
"A Digital Nation Must Be Established to Preserve Tuvalu"

A view of the sunset from Funafuti, the capital of the South Pacific island nation Tuvalu. Photo by archive.

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A proposal has been made to establish a digital nation to preserve Tuvalu, a South Pacific island country threatened with disappearance due to global warming.

According to the British Guardian recently, Eselilofa Apinelu, former Minister of Justice of Tuvalu, made this proposal at the 'Pacific Nations Conference' held in Canberra, Australia.

This is related to the situation of Tuvalu, which is directly affected by climate change. Tuvalu, located in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Australia, has an elevation of only about 2 meters, and it is known that seawater rises by about 0.5 cm each year due to global warming.

As a result, about 12,000 Tuvalu citizens face threats to their survival, and the number of climate refugees who have lost their homes and emigrated to neighboring countries such as Australia and New Zealand is increasing. Experts believe that, given the current rate of sea level rise, Tuvalu is likely to be submerged around 2050.

In this situation, former Minister Apinelu emphasized the need to create a digital nation in the metaverse that faithfully preserves Tuvalu’s culture and values, saying, "There needs to be a space to record the fact that the country called Tuvalu existed."

He explained, "Tuvalu citizens need something to rely on, and a digital nation is essentially the last option to soothe the nostalgia of the people." However, he added, "People cannot be digitized," and "How to handle them is still a matter to be considered."

Additionally, he called on nearby countries including Australia to lower immigration barriers so that Tuvalu citizens can seek new places to live. Former Minister Apinelu said, "Australia and New Zealand have provided us with education and jobs, but their immigration laws are not simple," and added, "It would be better if there were more friendly regulations than now." He also said, "If our people can legally move to new areas at their own pace, it would be better than relocating the entire country all at once."

On November 8 last year (local time), Simon Kofe, Tuvalu's Foreign Minister, drew attention by delivering an underwater speech at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) held last November, Tuvalu Foreign Minister Simon Kofe’s underwater speech attracted attention.

At that time, he entered the sea up to his thighs for the speech and said, "We are sinking due to sea level rise caused by climate change," and "Many citizens are preparing for the worst case of having to leave this place." Through his underwater speech, he vividly represented the reality of the Pacific island nation at risk of disappearing underwater and urged countries around the world to respond to the climate crisis.