Tuvalu is a state in the Polynesian area and it might become the first one to disappear due to pollution. With its 26 km squared and 11.000 citizens , Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in terms of territory and has the second smallest population in the world. Tuvalu is widely considered one of the first countries likely to be significantly impacted by rising sea levels because of global climate change.

Tuvalu took part in several projects to avoid the terrible consequences of climate change and to monitor the continuous modulations of the island. The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program, for example, is an operation aiming to understand what mostly influenced the climate of the Pacific region. Furthermore, Tuvalu enrolled in the “Pacific Climate Change Science Program”, which showed how, year-by-year, the sea-level sloped along the territory.

Most importantly, climate change is strongly affecting the daily life of the inhabitants on the island. The UN General Assembly in 2005 stated that the economic and social impacts of climate change for agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and human health are atrocious. The rising of sea levels has destroyed deep rooted food crops and contributed to the degradation of the housing situation, which led to a generalised forced migration. A diversified economy that succeeds in building resilience should also help incentivise Tuvaluans to deploy their skills in the country, thus reducing migration pressures.

The Government of Tuvalu has been trying to solve the problem by reducing greenhouse gases and using as much sustainable energy as possible. However, the Government has too few resources to cope with the situation alone and, after the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, the most important climate adaptation projects in the Government’s plans have been delayed.

Among these projects, there was the promotion of fiscal sustainability. At the same time, fiscal reforms enable access to climate finance from donors and strengthen oversight of spending plans.

However, domestic policies can only partially coverTuvalu’s damages, considering that its long-term survival also depend on the world’s collective ability to prevent destructive global warming scenarios. This is because, with the current global emission rate and the incessant rising of sea levels, the country may become inhabitable by the end of the century. Moreover, the rising of sea levels is an essential threat for millions of other populations living close to the island. In conclusion, Tuvalu’s climate change calls upon the entire world to step in to reduce global emissions.