When the ocean turns dark and fierce, crashing against the coast, Gitty Yee grabs her camera and runs toward the whirlpool.
A powerful storm has struck Tuvalu, marked by a significant tidal surge. Strong waves rise to engulf both sides of the main island, Fongafale, leaving deep imprints on the two-lane main road.
“This is truly the worst storm I have ever seen,” the 25-year-old amateur photographer recounts about the disaster in February of this year. “It has really destroyed many homes. It wrecked some seawalls, and the water rose to our knees,” she says.
Tuvalu’s coastline is highly susceptible to inundation due to rising sea levels.
Amid the turbulent waves, the local Tuvaluans direct their gaze—and their lenses—toward the local children swimming in the sea, playing with the waves, blissfully unaware of the dangers that the Pacific “is raging” toward them.
Gitty explains that every time the tide rises, it is like this.
For Tuvalu, a ring-shaped island precariously near sea level, such natural disasters are very concerning. This small nation is predicted to be one of the first countries to disappear from the world due to climate change—as rising tides erode its fragile coastline.
Its geographical position has placed Tuvalu at the center of global climate negotiations. People are genuinely having to consider a future where this nation only exists in memory.
A Nation on the Brink of Disappearance
According to a high global emissions scenario—assuming greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise at current levels and considering Tuvalu’s existing infrastructure – 95% of the capital, Funafuti, is expected to be flooded daily by the end of the century. This place will not be livable long before then—possibly as early as 2050.
Scientists predict that Tuvalu has become a poster child for sea-level rise-related flooding.
For Tuvalu’s Minister of Climate Change, Maina Talia, the country still sees hope, despite the looming threat hanging over their fate.
“Although we are still fearful when faced with climate change, at the same time, look, the children love the sea. They are playing along the beach and enjoying the high tide, even while fully aware that it is devastating our lives. But we still cannot do anything,” he says.
Sea levels are rising faster in Tuvalu than in other parts of the world.
Big questions linger about what the future holds for these children.
This country has become a curiosity, increasingly attracting researchers to visit and study the ongoing phenomenon.
Even some locals are preparing themselves for this grim future. At one of the guesthouses in Funafuti, T-shirts are displayed for sale behind the reception. “Tuvalu, the frontline of climate change” and “Tuvalu, where climate change is a reality” are printed on the shirts.
But for those in the fight, this situation is more than just a slogan. It is a matter of saving a culture and a people.
The Right to Leave
Just a few years ago, Tuvalu’s then-foreign minister, Simon Kofe, stood on a podium, water up to his knees at the northern tip of Fongafale, delivering a passionate speech about the impacts of climate change on his country and the world.
“We cannot wait for speeches while the sea levels around us are constantly rising,” he stated on the eve of global climate negotiations at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow in 2022. “We are sinking, but everyone else is too.”
Not much has changed in the country’s outlook since then. Tuvalu remains on the brink, struggling to survive amidst neglect.
The sea regularly floods homes and businesses, nestled between vast oceans and a lagoon. In some places, the main island—and indeed the entire country—is only a few meters wide. From end to end, Fongafale is just 12 kilometers long.
The government has taken proactive measures to protect national sovereignty and ensure sustainability for the future, regardless of the climate issue’s trajectory.
Last September, the country’s constitution was amended to state that the status of the Tuvalu state will persist indefinitely, regardless of whether its actual territory is lost.
Tuvalu is currently facing the biggest question of whether to relocate and where to go.
In theory, this is a move to bolster Tuvalu’s existence as a nation, but it raises another discussion about the worst-case scenario—relocating the entire country to a new location.
Currently, the current government remains adamant that relocation is not on the agenda.
“The government continues to emphasize that migration is definitely not. But that is a matter of choice for our people. Everyone has the right to leave if they wish,” Minister Maina Talia stated.
However, he explained that the administration would help facilitate processes and pathways for the people of Tuvalu to consider their future options while still prioritizing the protection of their homeland.
“Our role as a government is to ensure that we keep Tuvalu alive because if we migrate to other places in the world, one day, my children will ask me, where is Tuvalu? Where do we come from? And Tuvalu has disappeared from the earth,” he said.
The island nation’s government has signed a security cooperation agreement with Australia. Soon, hundreds of Tuvaluans may migrate abroad each year.
The Falepili Union Treaty was agreed upon by both governments in November 2023 to facilitate 280 long-term visas annually for Tuvaluans, ensuring that individuals and families can live, work, and study in Australia.
The thinnest land in Tuvalu is only a few meters wide.
For a nation with a total population of about 12,000, this is a “large number,” said Paulson Panapa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Labor, and Trade of Tuvalu.
“These are significant opportunities for the people. It is entirely optional. It depends on the individual if they wish to come and live in Australia. But I think as a government, we have a responsibility to provide pathways for our people to start a new life in Australia. That does not mean that life here is not good, but job opportunities are very challenging,” Mr. Panapa stated.
He expressed hope that the younger generation obtaining foreign education can help Tuvalu further develop in the coming years.
Mr. Panapa told CNA that although the treaty has been signed, details are still being negotiated before coming into effect. This is the clearest example of climate-induced migration, an issue that is gaining increasing attention globally.
Beyond these fragile shores, hundreds of millions of people also face similar threats from coastal flooding in the coming decades. A 2021 World Bank report indicated that over 200 million people are likely to migrate by 2050 due to the slow impacts of climate change. International and regional courts are in the process of clarifying existing legal obligations to address this issue.
Much of Funafuti could be flooded daily by 2100.
The Burden on the Younger Generation
Meanwhile, the young Tuvaluans are currently caught in a dilemma. They are being asked to decide between fighting for their homeland or abandoning it entirely.
Like many of her friends, Gitty Yee is aware of the apocalyptic narrative enveloping her country.
The allure of greater work and educational opportunities abroad is real.
“I think most of my friends are planning to leave Tuvalu; they just want a better future. I don’t think they see a bright future here, in Tuvalu,” she says.
“But growing up in Tuvalu, this place is home. So, from my perspective, I don’t want to leave even though we hear a lot about Tuvalu sinking underwater. And the issue is, we are trying to adapt to something that is not our fault at all, which is really sad,” the young girl stated.
For Gitty, her camera has become a tool to capture the spirit of her homeland. She hopes her works can show the world that those affected by climate change are not ready to be seen as victims.
Gitty Yee is an amateur photographer from Tuvalu.
She shared: “Tuvalu is not just about climate change and being vulnerable to it. Tuvalu also has traditions, culture, lifestyle, local cuisine, beautiful landscapes, and especially sunsets.”
Sunsets bring rituals across Funafuti every day. As the scorching heat of the day fades with the light, families emerge to swim in the shallow waters—literally just a few meters from their seaside homes.
On the international runway of the island—typically used only once a day for flights to and from Fiji—crowds gather to play volleyball or rugby. Children ride bikes while teenagers stroll along the length of the runway, instead of occupying the empty spaces elsewhere on the coral island. Vibrant colors gradually spread across the horizon and burst into the sky as the sun sets.
Children playing on the runway of Tuvalu International Airport.
The coastline of Tuvalu at sunset.
At COP28 in Dubai last year, delegates agreed to officially establish a fund to support vulnerable countries. However, getting the necessary funds into that account and then distributing it in a timely manner remains an ongoing challenge.
Young people in Tuvalu are striving to capture attention and funding for the Pacific. “This is an extreme issue for us,” said Talua Nivaga, a young climate activist in Tuvalu and founder of a youth-led environmental organization.
“We are collaborating and working together to ensure that we will survive and not drown. The world is fully aware that we are being affected. We are talking about lives, we are talking about children, we are talking about the most vulnerable people facing the consequences of others’ actions,” he added.
After all, “the country about to disappear” Tuvalu is still struggling to survive.
This is also the viewpoint of Maina Talia, the Minister in charge of climate change, who will lead Tuvalu’s advocacy efforts in upcoming global negotiations.
“We should not romanticize climate change. We are talking about the survival of people not only in Tuvalu, but also those unfortunate enough to live on low-lying coral islands,” Mr. Talia stated.