More than a third of Tuvalu's residents have applied for climate visas to emigrate to Australia because of the risks from rising sea levels.

Facing the threat of sinking due to climate change, 1,124 people from Tuvalu applied for climate visas to Australia, resulting in 4,052 applicants. Tuvalu's ambassador to the UN, Tapugao Falefou, expressed surprise at the large number of applications. The visas will allow migrants to live and work in Australia while providing financial support for their remaining families. Tuvalu, with an average elevation of just 2 meters above sea level, has faced a 15cm rise in sea level over the past three decades, and forecasts suggest half of Funafuti Atoll could be submerged by 2050.