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80% of this country wants to move to Australia as climate change advances
In the first agreement of its kind anywhere in the world, Australia is offering visas to this Pacific island nation's citizens under a climate migration deal
The Pacific nation of Tuvalu is staring at a climate change catastrophe and its people are already preparing for a future after it. Nearly 80% of its population has applied for a special ‘climate visa’ to live in Australia.
In the first agreement of its kind anywhere in the world, Australia is offering visas to Tuvalu citizens each year under a climate migration deal. "We received extremely high levels of interest in the ballot with 8,750 registrations, which includes family members of primary registrants," the Australian high commission in Tuvalu said in a statement, AFP reported.
This number makes up 82 per cent of the Tuvalu's official population of 10,643, according to the 2022 census.
But only 280 visas are offered every year. That would roughly take 40 years, not accounting for population growth, for everyone to move.
Scientists fear Tuvalu will be uninhabitable within the next 80 years.
Two of the archipelago's nine coral atolls have already largely disappeared under the waves.
Australia and Tuvalu signed the Falepili Union in 2024, under which Australia opened a new visa category for citizens of Tuvalu who will be selected at random.
"Australia recognises the devastating impact climate change is having on the livelihoods, security, and wellbeing of climate vulnerable countries and people, particularly in the Pacific region," Australia's foreign affairs department told AFP last month.
Tuvalu citizens, including those living outside the country, are eligible for the draw if they are aged over 18 and pay a 25 Australian dollars as fee (US$16).
The Falepili pact commits Australia to defending Tuvalu in the face of natural disasters, health pandemics and "military aggression". It is thus also being seen as a move to blunt China's hold on the region.
The agreement also gives Australia a say in defence pacts Tuvalu signs with other countries.
