Editing History of Tuvalu (section)

==Tuvalu and climate change==
{{Main|Global warming in Tuvalu}}

[[Tuvalu]] became the 189th member of the [[United Nations]] in September 2000,<ref>[http://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/pressrels/2000/sg2648.html "Secretary-General Welcomes Tuvalu as New Member of United Nations Family"], United Nations Information Service, 6 September 2000</ref><ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E1D81131F93BA25751C0A9669C8B63 "Tuvalu, Distrusted by China, Worried by Sea, Can Join U.N."], ''The New York Times'', 18 February 2000</ref> and appoints a [[List of Permanent Representatives to the United Nations|Permanent Representative]] to the United Nations.

Tuvalu, one of the world's [[List of countries and outlying territories by total area|smallest countries]], has indicated that its priority within the United Nations is to emphasise "[[climate change]] and the unique vulnerabilities of Tuvalu to its adverse impacts". Other priorities are obtaining "additional development assistance from potential donor countries", widening the scope of Tuvalu's bilateral diplomatic relations, and, more generally, expressing "Tuvalu's interests and concerns".<ref>[http://www.un.int/wcm/content/site/tuvalu Official website of the Permanent Mission of Tuvalu to the United Nations] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091107024501/http://www.un.int/wcm/content/site/tuvalu |date=7 November 2009 }}</ref> The issue of [[climate change in Tuvalu]] has featured prominently in Tuvalu's interventions at the UN and at other international fora.

In 2002, [[Governor-General of Tuvalu|Governor-General]] [[Tomasi Puapua]] concluded his address to the [[United Nations General Assembly]] by saying:
{{cquote| Finally, Mr. President, efforts to ensure sustainable development, peace, security and longterm livelihood for the world will have no meaning to us in Tuvalu in the absence of serious actions to address the adverse and devastating effects of global warming. At no more than three meters above sea level, Tuvalu is particularly exposed to these effects. Indeed our people are already migrating to escape, and are already suffering from the consequences of what world authorities on climate change have consistently been warning us. Only two weeks ago, a period when the weather was normal and calm and at low tide, unusually big waves suddenly crashed ashore and flooded most part of the capital island. In the event that the situation is not reversed, where does the international community think the Tuvalu people are to hide from the onslaught of sea level rise? Taking us as [[environmental refugee]]s, is not what Tuvalu is after in the long run. We want the islands of Tuvalu and our nation to remain permanently and not be submerged as a result of greed and uncontrolled consumption of industrialized countries. We want our children to grow up the way my wife and I did in our own islands and in our own culture. We once again appeal to the industrialized countries, particularly those who have not done so, to urgently ratify and fully implement the [[Kyoto Protocol]], and to provide concrete support in all our adaptation efforts to cope with the [[effects of climate change]] and sea level rise. Tuvalu, having little or nothing to do with the causes, cannot be left on its own to pay the price. We must work together. May God Bless you all. May God Bless the United Nations.<ref>[https://www.un.org/webcast/ga/57/statements/020914tuvaluE.htm Governor-General Tomasi Puapua's address to the 57th session of the United Nations General Assembly], 14 September 2002</ref>}}

Addressing the Special Session of the [[United Nations Security Council|Security Council]] on Energy, Climate and Security in April 2007, Ambassador Pita stated:
{{cquote|We face many threats associated with climate change. Ocean warming is changing the very nature of our island nation. Slowly our coral reefs are dying through coral bleaching, we are witnessing changes to fish stocks, and we face the increasing threat of more severe cyclones. With the highest point of four metres above sea level, the threat of severe cyclones is extremely disturbing, and severe water shortages will further threaten the livelihoods of people in many islands. Madam President, our livelihood is already threatened by sea level rise, and the implications for our long term security are very disturbing. Many have spoken about the possibility of migrating from our homeland. If this becomes a reality, then we are faced with an unprecedented threat to our nationhood. This would be an infringement on our fundamental rights to nationality and statehood as constituted under the [[Universal Declaration of Human Rights]] and other international conventions.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/transcripts/10950375 NPR report of Pita's address to the Special Session of the Security Council on Energy, Climate and Security], 12 June 2007</ref>}}

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in September 2008, Prime Minister [[Apisai Ielemia]] stated:
{{cquote|Climate change is, without doubt, the most serious threat to the global security and survival of mankind. It is an issue of enormous concern to a highly vulnerable [[small island State]] like Tuvalu. Here in this Great House, we now know both the science and [[Economic analysis of climate change|economics of climate change]]. We also know the cause of climate change, and that human actions by ALL countries are urgently needed to address it. The central message of both the [[Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change|IPCC]] reports and the Sir [[Nicholas Stern]] reports to us, world leaders, is crystal clear: ''unless urgent actions are done to curb greenhouses gasses emissions by shifting to a new global [[energy mix]] based on renewable energy sources, and unless timely adaptation is done, the adverse impact of climate change on all communities, will be catastrophic.''<ref>[https://www.un.org/ga/63/generaldebate/pdf/tuvalu_en.pdf Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia's address to the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly], 26 September 2008</ref> <small>(italics in original submission)</small>}}

In November 2011, Tuvalu was one of the eight founding members of [[Polynesian Leaders Group]], a regional grouping intended to cooperate on a variety of issues including culture and language, education, responses to climate change, and trade and investment.<ref>[http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2011/09/nz-may-be-invited-to-join-proposed-polynesian-triangle-ginger-group/ "NZ may be invited to join proposed ‘Polynesian Triangle’ ginger group"], Pacific Scoop, 19 September 2011</ref><ref>[http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=64516 "New Polynesian Leaders Group formed in Samoa"], Radio New Zealand International, 18 November 2011</ref> Tuvalu participates in the [[Alliance of Small Island States]] (AOSIS), which is a coalition of small island and low-lying coastal countries that have concerns about their vulnerability to the adverse effects of global climate change. The [[Sopoaga Ministry]] led by [[Enele Sopoaga]] made a commitment under the [[Majuro Declaration]], which was signed on 5 September 2013, to implement power generation of [[100% renewable energy]] (between 2013 and 2020). This commitment is proposed to be implemented using Solar PV (95% of demand) and biodiesel (5% of demand). The feasibility of wind power generation will be considered as part of the commitment to increase the use of [[renewable energy in Tuvalu]].<ref name="MD050913">{{cite web| work= Pacific Islands Forum|title= Majuro Declaration: For Climate Leadership |date =5 September 2013|url=http://www.majurodeclaration.org/the_declaration| access-date=7 September 2013}}</ref>

In September 2013 Enele Sopoaga said that relocating Tuvaluans to avoid the impact of sea level rise "should never be an option because it is self defeating in itself. For Tuvalu I think we really need to mobilise public opinion in the Pacific as well as in the [rest of] world to really talk to their lawmakers to please have some sort of moral obligation and things like that to do the right thing."<ref name="RNZI030913">{{cite web| work=Radio New Zealand International |title = Relocation for climate change victims is no answer, says Tuvalu PM|date =3 September 2013|url= http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=78795| access-date=3 September 2013}}</ref>

Marshall Islands President [[Christopher Loeak]] presented the [[Majuro Declaration]] to the UN [[Secretary-General]] [[Ban Ki-moon]] during General Assembly Leaders' week from 23 September 2013. The Majuro Declaration is offered as a "Pacific gift" to the UN Secretary-General in order to catalyze more ambitious climate action by world leaders beyond that achieved at the December [[2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference]] ([[COP15]]). On 29 September 2013 the Deputy Prime Minister [[Vete Sakaio]] concluded his speech to the General Debate of the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly with an appeal to the world, "please save Tuvalu against climate change. Save Tuvalu in order to save yourself, the world".<ref name="VPSUN">{{cite web|url= https://gadebate.un.org/68/tuvalu |title= Statement Presented by Deputy Prime Minister Honourable Vete Palakua Sakaio |date =28 September 2013|publisher=68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly – General Debate |access-date= 4 November 2013}}</ref>

Prime Minister [[Enele Sopoaga]] said at the [[2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference]] (COP21) that the goal for COP21 should a global temperature goal of below 1.5 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial levels, which is the position of the [[Alliance of Small Island States]].<ref name=ASI>{{cite web| last =Sims | first =Alexandra | title=Pacific Island Tuvalu calls for 1.5 degrees global warming limit or faces 'total demise'|work=The Independent |date=2 December 2015|url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/pacific-island-tuvalu-calls-for-15-degrees-global-warming-limit-or-face-total-demise-a6756941.html|access-date=5 December 2015}}</ref>
Prime Minister Sopoaga said in his speech to the meeting of heads of state and government:
{{cquote|Tuvalu's future at current warming, is already bleak, any further temperature increase will spell the total demise of Tuvalu…. For Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries and many others, setting a global temperature goal of below 1.5 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial levels is critical. I call on the people of Europe to think carefully about their obsession with 2 degrees. Surely, we must aim for the best future we can deliver and not a weak compromise.<ref name=COP21ESS>{{cite web| last = Sopoaga | first = Enele S.| title= Keynote statement delivered by the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, the Honourable Enele S. Sopoaga, at the leaders events for heads of state and government at the opening of the COP21| work=Government of Tuvalu |date=30 November 2015|url= http://unfccc.int/files/meetings/paris_nov_2015/application/pdf/cop21cmp11_leaders_event_tuvalu.pdf |access-date=5 December 2015}}</ref>}}
His speech concluded with the plea:
{{cquote|Let's do it for Tuvalu. For if we save Tuvalu we save the world.<ref name=COP21ESS/>}}

Enele Sopoaga described the important outcomes of COP21 as including the stand-alone provision for assistance to small island states and some of the least developed countries for loss and damage resulting from climate change and the ambition of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees by the end of the century.<ref name=RNZI1515>{{cite web| title= Tuvalu PM praises COP 21 agreement| work=Radio New Zealand International |date=16 December 2015|url= http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/292296/tuvalu-pm-praises-cop-21-agreement |access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref>

In November 2022, [[Simon Kofe]], [[Minister for Justice, Communication & Foreign Affairs]], proclaimed that in response to rising sea levels and the perceived failures by the outside world to combat global warming, the country would be uploading itself to [[Meta Platforms|the metaverse]] in an effort to preserve itself and allow it to function as a country even in the event of it being underwater.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Craymer |first=Lucy |date=2022-11-15 |title=Tuvalu turns to the metaverse as rising seas threaten existence |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/tuvalu-turns-metaverse-rising-seas-threaten-existence-2022-11-15/ |access-date=2022-11-17}}</ref>

On 10 November 2023, Tuvalu signed the Falepili Union, a [[Australia–Tuvalu relations|bilateral diplomatic relationship with Australia]], under which Australia will provide a pathway for citizens of Tuvalu to migrate to Australia, to enable [[Climate migration|climate-related mobility]] for Tuvaluans.<ref name=FalepiliTreaty1>{{cite web|url= https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/tuvalu/australia-tuvalu-falepili-union-treaty|title=Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty|publisher=Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade|access-date= 12 November 2023}}</ref><ref name="AUTFU1">{{cite web| last = | first = |title= Joint Statement on the Falepili Union between Tuvalu and Australia |publisher= Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet|page=|date = 10 November 2023|url= https://www.pm.gov.au/media/joint-statement-falepili-union-between-tuvalu-and-australia | accessdate=13 November 2023}}</ref>