Context
Climate vulnerabilities: Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world with a population of around 11,000 and a land area of 25.9 km2. Like other Pacific Island countries, Tuvalu faces a unique set of development challenges due to its small size, remoteness and narrow production and export bases. While these challenges remain, the risk from climate change threatens Tuvalu’s very existence. As a small island developing state, Tuvalu faces being submerged due to rising sea levels, coastal erosion and increasingly frequent natural disasters. Made up of nine tiny islands, two of which are close to being submerged due to rising water levels and coastal erosion.
National response: Climate change has been identified by the Government of Tuvalu and the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders as the greatest threat facing this and other small island countries. Communities in Tuvalu are battling climate change on multiple fronts, such as coastal erosion, soil salinization, reduced fish habitats due to ocean acidification, coral bleaching, rising sea water levels and increasing extreme climate events like typhoons and wave surges.