1. Australia has agreed to grant visas to people affected by rising sea levels in the tiny Pacific nation of Tuvalu, as the countries signed a new treaty on November 9.
2. Tuvalu, which is made up of nine low-lying islands, is under severe threat from climate change. By 2050, it’s estimated that half of the land area of the capital, Funafuti, will suffer daily flooding by tidal waters.
3. Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Kausea Natano has said his country “is going to be under water” if the world doesn’t do more to fight climate change. Australia will offer up to 280 visas per year, and these will allow Tuvaluans to live, work and study in the country.
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4. Natano called the deal “a beacon of hope,” while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that as part of the “Pacific family,” his country had a “responsibility to act.”
5. The treaty, which is called the Falepili Union — named after a Tuvaluan term for neighbors — also states that Australia will be available to help Tuvalu respond to natural disasters, pandemics or any military aggression.
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7. “This will help Tuvaluans stay in their homes with safety and dignity and protect their choice to determine their future,” the Australian government said. According to the BBC, New Zealand and the US have similar pacts with other Pacific islands.
