The island nation of Tuvalu is facing the risk of being submerged due to rising sea levels.

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Tuvalu, the world's fourth smallest country, often referred to as a 'hidden paradise', is facing the threat of extinction. With a population of only 11,000, this country is on the brink of disappearing due to climate change. The island nation of Tuvalu is backing up its existence in the digital realm.

On the verge of being submerged due to climate change, the island nation of Tuvalu in the Pacific is transferring everything from its structures to its natural beauties into the digital realm to preserve its heritage.

According to a report by the BBC, Tuvalu, which consists of nine coral islands in the Pacific Ocean and has over 11,000 citizens, is now facing a future where it may become uninhabitable.

THE ONLY NEIGHBOR THEY HAVE: WATER

The rise in sea levels caused by climate change threatens Tuvalu's land. The Tuvalu government, facing the risk of its territory being submerged, has turned to the "Digital Nation" project to protect the country's beauties, culture, and the legal rights of its citizens for future generations.

The government is backing up everything from homes to natural beauties by building a digital copy of the country.

THEY ARE TRYING TO MOVE EVERYTHING TO DIGITAL

Tuvalu is also working to create digital passports to secure the country's virtual borders, allowing the government to continue its activities. These passports enable citizens to conduct many official transactions digitally, such as participating in elections and referendums, and registering births, deaths, and marriages.

Taukiei Kitara, a research assistant at Griffith University in Australia, stated regarding these efforts that the "Digital Nation" project does not represent the presumption that the nation will physically disappear, noting that this project is just one of Tuvalu's methods to combat climate change.

"DIGITAL NATION"

This initiative was first announced by Tuvalu's Foreign Minister Simon Kofe at the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Egypt in 2022 under the name "Digital Nation".

The "Digital Nation" project includes not only creating a virtual copy of the islands but also backing up the country's cultural heritage.

Kofe, in a statement made in 2023, called on citizens to send their most valuable belongings and stories made up of emotional elements, festival dances, the voices of their children, and memories to create an archive designed to carry "the spirit of Tuvalu".

OPPOSITION AGAINST "EXTINCTION"

On the other hand, former Prime Minister and opposition bloc leader Enele Sopoaga criticized the government's policies in this direction, arguing in a statement made in 2023 that the concept of creating a digital Tuvalu nation in the virtual world implies that the country will "disappear".

Tuvaluan climate activist Grace Malie stated in her speech at the UN General Assembly in September, "This is our dignity, our culture, and our heritage. It is not something we can pack into suitcases and take with us."