Tuvalu: Adapting to Climate Threats

There are 42 small island and low-lying coastal countries that will be severely affected by climate change. Rising sea levels will flood coastal homes and crops; warming oceans will shock coral reefs and the fish that inhabit them; ever-stronger hurricanes will tear down communities and erode fragile coastlines. These countries are acutely aware of the threats of climate change.

Tuvalu is as island nation in the Pacific Ocean, sitting midway between Australia and Hawaii. Its highest point is less than 15 feet above sea level, and its three reef islands and six atolls give the tiny country an extensive coastline. These geographic features also make it dangerously vulnerable to climate change.

With a population of less than 13,000 people, international policymakers have not prioritized Tuvalu’s fate. Instead, grassroots groups have taken up the burden of preparing for and adapting to climate change.

Grassroots Action Protects the Island, Promotes Awareness

The Tuvalu Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (TANGO) is an umbrella network of grassroots groups that has taken up the cause of addressing climate change. Global Greengrants Fund has supported TANGO with four small grants to help make their work possible, including:

• An adopt-a-tree program designed to create protective bands of trees along windward coasts. Excessive clearing of coastal trees for fuel wood has compounded erosion problems for Tuvalu, but an initial planting of 1,500 trees has helped to stabilize the coastline and provide a windbreak and seawall to support further plantings in the coming years.
• An environmental awareness campaign called AWARE, which educates students in Funafuti, Tuvalu’s capital. Project leaders are engaging students and parents in hands-on activities to preserve and rehabilitate sensitive island ecosystems.  These include the coastal trees and the reef habitats that will play an increasingly important role in protecting the island as climate change worsens.

Tuvalu is among the very first countries to feel the effects of climate change. These projects are an opportunity to help local people design responses that are effective and inclusive. They are also leading the way for the other 41 countries that face similar threats.

By taking tangible steps toward fortifying coasts, protecting vulnerable ecosystems, and encouraging greater local involvement, these projects are helping to prepare Tuvaluans for an uncertain and risky future.