Farewell to Tuvalu

Halfway between Hawaii and Australia, Tuvalu looks like pretty much anyone's definition of paradise. Even my definition of paradise, which typically doesn't revolve around turquoise waters and palm trees, but skews more towards snowbound in a cabin in the woods with plenty of books, tea bags, and cookies. 

Tuvalu may look like paradise, and even has a capital city with the whimsical name of Funafuti, but the weather doesn't always cooperate. Weatherspark describes "the climate in Tuvalu [as] hot, oppressive, windy, and overcast." (Despite Tuvalu's appearance, I just knew that it wouldn't be the sort of place I'd actually enjoy.)

But for Tuvaluans, it's home.

Not much goes on in Tuvalu. During World War II, it was a staging area for the Battle of Tarawa. This gave Tuvalu, postwar, its airport. But tourism isn't much of an economic driver. It's so remote, there are only a couple of thousand tourists each year. The economy is pretty low key: fishing and remittances from those who work as seafarers in the merchant marine industry.

As I noted, for Tuvaluans, it's home for the 11,000 or so folks who manage to put up with the weather.

But probably not for all that much longer. 

If the weather is lousy, rising seas caused by climate change are making matters a lot worse. 

By 2050, NASA scientists project daily tides will submerge half the main atoll of Funafuti, home to 60% of Tuvalu’s residents, where villagers cling to a strip of land as narrow as 65 feet. That forecast assumes a 1-metre rise in sea levels, while the worst case, double that, would put 90% of Funafuti under water. (Source: NBC News) 

I will note that 65 feet is less than the distance between the front and the back of the building where I live. I don't think I could sleep at night...

Fortunately, Australia is offering climate visas that will enable Tuvaluans to migrate there, and over one-third of the people of Tuvalu have applied. 

The visa will allow Tuvalu residents to live, work and study in Australia, accessing health benefits and education on the same basis as Australian citizens.

And provide income to the island, as once they settle in, the migrants will send remittances back.

Unfortunately, there are only 280 visas to be issued at this point.

Tuvalu is trying to hold back the tides:

It has built 17 acres of artificial land, and is planning more, which it hopes will stay above the tides until 2100.

But holding back the tides is a pretty futile indeavor, especially in the era of climate change. And 2100 ain't all that far in the future. Still, it will give Tuvaluans more time to get out of Funafuti. 

All pretty awful, of course. 

Only 11,000 people, but that's home we're talking about. 

Farewell to Tuvalu. 

As time goes on, I'm sure we'll be hearing about a lot more climate refugees who are going to be needing a lot more than 280 visas to somewhere.

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Image Source: BBC