The Pacific Islands are undergoing significant changes due to climate change, particularly affecting Tuvalu, a nation of 9,646 people. As rising sea levels threaten coastal communities, Tuvalu is investing in coastal adaptation projects and land reclamation efforts, adding approximately six hectares of land to Funafuti, the main island. Simultaneously, the Australia–Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty offers pathways for Tuvaluans to migrate to Australia, with up to 280 permanent residency spots available annually. This dual approach of adaptation and migration raises critical questions about cultural heritage preservation when communities are displaced. The article highlights the Lotolelei Church on Lakina, an uninhabited islet, which remains a site of cultural significance for families from neighboring islands. Despite being uninhabited, the church continues to host services and gatherings, symbolizing enduring connections to ancestral lands. The research team, working with Tuvaluan community members, documents endangered architecture and traditional building practices. For instance, the Makaili Hut on Niutao, originally a communal storehouse and gathering place, has evolved through successive rebuilds after cyclones, retaining traditional construction techniques like carved joints and coconut fibre lashings. Similarly, two classrooms in Funafuti incorporate traditional building methods, reflecting island identity through their roof forms and construction. However, climate pressures and shifting materials are altering traditional practices. The use of corrugated metal roofing, while practical for rainwater collection, compromises interior comfort compared to traditional thatched roofs. This shift reduces opportunities for youth to learn traditional construction skills, risking knowledge loss. Digital documentation, including 3D models and virtual reality, is being explored to preserve heritage. Community workshops have shown interest in documenting not just buildings but also canoes, oral histories, and landscapes. The article emphasizes that heritage should be integral to adaptation and migration planning, with local communities determining which sites and traditions require protection. The Lakina Church exemplifies how cultural heritage remains vital even as physical connections to land diminish. The authors stress that protecting cultural heritage is essential for preserving identity, history, and the very essence of Tuvaluan culture as the nation navigates climate challenges and migration.

De lundi à jeudi, ces îles du Pacifique accueillent avec les Fidji les réunions préparatoires à la COP31 sur le climat. Le changement climatique y est déjà "terrifiant", forçant les Tuvaluans à l'exil.

Analysis of mobility provisions in Australia-Pacific bilateral agreements, from the Falepili Union to Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji and PNG treaties.

The Falepili Union treaty allows 280 people from Tuvalu to migrate annually. The treaty could redefine sovereignty

Em 2023, a Austrália assinou com Tuvalu a União de Falepili, um acordo que, a longo prazo, prevê oferecer asilo a toda a população deste pequeno arquipélago do sudoeste do Pacífico, diretamente ameaçado pela elevação do nível do mar. Dois anos depois, os primeiros refugiados climáticos começam a chegar ao país, onde vão começar uma nova vida.

Sea level rise is putting islands underwater

The two countries have agreed to a landmark deal worth AU$500 million that will replace the previous security pact that was scrapped in 2022.

As the relocation process begins, the Falepili Union must not only protect Tuvalu’s future but also honor the values it was meant to uphold.

The Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty: Statehood and Security in the Face of Anthropogenic Climate Change - Volume 118 Issue 4

The Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty sets an important legal precedent for Small Island States threatened by rising sea levels, addressing both State cont

On 9 November 2023, Australia and the Tuvalu signed the world’s first climate resettlement treaty. Tuvalu is a Pacific Island State of only 26 square kilometres in area, with over half its populati�...

The trailblazing treaty between Australia and Tuvalu - the Falepili Union - has entered into force, on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga.Anthony Albanese and Feleti T...

Egzystencja Tuvalu, niewielkiego wyspiarskiego państwa na Pacyfiku, jest zagrożona przez globalne ocieplenie. Podpisana w 2023 roku umowa z Australią może nie tylko zapewnić przyszłość jego obywatelom. Stanowi ważny punkt w dyskusji o migracji powodowanej zmianami klimatu.

The Australia–Tuvalu Falepili Union, as it is known, is the world’s first bilateral agreement to create a special visa like this in the context of climate change.

By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor A Pacific analyst and commentator says it is unlikely that Vanuatu will agree to any exclusive rights in the new security and economic pact with Australia. Senior ministers of both countries, including deputy prime ministers Richard Marles and Johnny Koanapo, initialled the Nakamal Agreement at the summit of Mount

By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor A Pacific analyst and commentator says it is unlikely that Vanuatu will agree to any exclusive rights in the new security and economic pact with Australia. Senior ministers of both countries, including deputy prime ministers Richard Marles and Johnny Koanapo, initialled the Nakamal Agreement at the summit of Mount

The two countries have agreed to a landmark deal worth AU$500 million that will replace the previous security pact that was scrapped in 2022.

The Pacific island nation of Tuvalu could be submerged in 25 years due to rising sea levels, so a plan is being implemented to relocate its population to Australia.