Rising sea levels are causing Tuvalu, an archipelago in the Pacific, to disappear. That's why its citizens will have to live in Australia thanks to an agreement presented this Friday. Tuvalu's prime minister, Kausea Natano, and his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, have signed a treaty to provide a climate shelter on the mainland for Tuvalu's 11,000 residents if they lose their homes.
"We believe that the people of Tuvalu deserve to live well, study and work elsewhere, as the impact of climate change is worsening the situation," the two leaders said in a joint statement.
Tuvalu is currently one of the most vulnerable countries in the world due to climate change. Its population is spread over nine islands that rise less than five meters above sea level, and rising ocean levels have caused two of them to disappear. Natano said the agreement, which must now be ratified by both sides, is "a message of hope" for his country.
"It's the first agreement specifically on climate-related immigration," said Jane McAdam, a refugee law specialist and professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia. In the content of the agreement, Australia also commits to disburse 16 million Australian dollars ($10 million) to protect the territory of the small archipelago.
"The agreement between Australia and Tuvalu will be seen as an important day, with Australia recognizing that we are part of the Pacific family," Albanese said. Australia's economic dependence on gas and coal exports, two polluting activities that contribute to climate change, has been a point of friction with its Pacific neighbours. (A2 Televizion)
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