The annual cap on visas would ensure migration to Australia “does not cause brain drain”, he added.
If all Tuvaluans decided to take up Australia on its offer – and if Australia kept its cap at 280 migrants per year – it would take about 40 years for Tuvalu’s entire population to relocate to Australia.
Tuvalu has been defined by the United Nations as “extremely vulnerable” to the effects of climate change, with most of its landmass less than 16 feet above sea level.
If no action is taken, up to 95 per cent of land is projected to be submerged by high tides by 2100, according to the UN.
Half of the capital, Fogafale, is predicted to be flooded much sooner, by 2050.
Around 40 per cent of the main atoll Funafuti already gets submerged during periodic “king” tides that wash away taro and cassava which were the islands’ staple crops.
Two of the atolls represented on its flag of 11 stars have already disappeared.
Statehood to remain in perpetuity
In September, Tuvalu amended its constitution to say its statehood would remain in perpetuity, even if its physical territory disappears.
It has also vowed to build a digital version of itself in the metaverse in order to preserve the country’s culture and history.
Experts are currently monitoring the region surrounding the new island to determine whether it will become a permanent fixture on Japan’s map or disappear.
The new island could survive longer if it is made of lava or something more durable than volcanic rocks such as pumice.
“If only a cinder eruption, as it is now, it will be eroded by waves and is unlikely to remain for a long time, but if it turns into an eruption with lava, it may remain for quite a while,” an official at the Japan Meteorological Agency told local media.