Tuvalu urges decisive global action as rising seas threaten its future
Climate change remains the greatest existential threat to Tuvalu, Prime Minister Feleti Teo told the UN General Assembly on Friday, warning that the pace and scale of international action are still falling far short of what vulnerable island nations need.
“For Tuvalu, sea-level rise is not a future threat, it is a present reality,” he said, describing efforts by the Pacific island nation to protect both its physical territory and its identity as the climate crisis transforms its environment.
Mr. Teo said Tuvalu had already reclaimed 15.3 hectares of elevated, flood-free land on the capital island of Funafuti through its coastal adaptation project, with another 10 hectares being reclaimed.
For a country with only around 26 square kilometres of land, he said, that constituted a significant adjustment.
At the same time, Tuvalu is using digital technologies to preserve its sovereignty, institutions and national identity, including through an initiative designed to safeguard its culture and historical heritage in digital form.
Nationhood ‘not negotiable’
The Prime Minister strongly welcomed the UN Political Declaration on Sea-Level Rise endorsed by Member States, describing it as a “monumental and gratifying achievement” for a country that had been at the forefront of efforts for such an agreement.
Among its commitments, he highlighted recognition of the continuity of statehood and sovereignty despite sea-level rise, the permanence of maritime zones and rights established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and protection for the dignity, culture, identity and heritage of affected peoples.
“The Declaration affirms that Tuvalu’s nationhood is not negotiable, that our maritime rights are not erasable, and that our people should never be forced to choose between their homeland and their future,” he said.
‘World must act now’
Mr. Teo warned that with a temporary overshoot of the 1.5°C global temperature target now inevitable, an orderly, fair and just transition away from fossil fuels had become even more urgent.
Tuvalu is calling for vigorous action to reduce both methane and carbon dioxide emissions, while championing Pacific-led initiatives such as the Tassiriki Call for a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific and the Funafuti Call for Climate Justice and Climate Action.
He also welcomed the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund, calling for adequate, predictable and timely financing, provided as grants, to support countries already experiencing unavoidable climate impacts.
“The world must act now decisively, collectively, and with urgency to protect the future for generations to come,” he said.
A ‘large ocean state’
The Prime Minister also placed the ocean at the centre of Tuvalu’s development and security. While possessing just 26 square kilometres of land, the country is custodian of some 750,000 square kilometres of ocean.
“Ocean governance is not simply an environmental policy,” he said. “It is also an issue of economic security, food security and climate security.”
With the world off track on the Sustainable Development Goals, Mr. Teo urged accelerated action on SDG 14, concerning life below water, and greater international support for Pacific-led climate financing and resilience.
Concluding, he stressed that even the smallest countries could lead on adaptation, ocean stewardship and international law, while cautioning that “national leadership cannot substitute for global responsibility.”
