Climate change has been linked to many things in the world, many of them very bad for humans. In many places, one of the biggest dangers of climate change is the rising sea levels.

While rising sea levels can affect billions of people around the world, they will obviously hurt those who live on island nations that are at low levels more than anywhere, and that is just what is happening to the nation of Tuvalu.

Tuvalu is a small nation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is home to just over 11,000 people. The country is an average of just 6.5 feet above sea level, so it is easy to see why the residents are concerned about climate change.

Not only would rising sea levels cause serious flooding to the island nation, but the more severe storms that are being generated due to climate change also have a direct and very significant impact.

While the exact impact of climate change is very difficult to predict, the leaders of Tuvalu aren’t just going to take a wait-and-see approach. Instead, they have signed an agreement with Australia to plan for the migration of citizens from Tuvalu. The arrangement is set up to provide 280 residents per year with a permanent climate visa, allowing them to move to Australia.

The goal is to provide residents with the option to move away from Tuvalu in a planned way that will allow them to have everyone who wants to leave gone before the sea levels rise so much that staying would be impossible.

In addition to planning for moving all the citizens (who want to go) to Australia, Tuvalu has been working to 3D-scan their islands. This is part of an effort to preserve their cultural heritage in the event that the island is completely lost to the rising waters.

Of course, everyone is hoping that the sea levels won’t rise and cause problems, but this proactive approach is necessary for the safety and security of the citizens of this small nation.

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