Balanced News: Australia offers refuge to Pacific island nation threatened by rising sea levels

Australia and Tuvalu have agreed to forge closer ties through a new bilateral treaty that covers areas such as security, migration, and climate change. Under the agreement, Australia will create a “special mobility pathway” that allows Tuvaluans to work, study, and live in Australia. The number of Tuvaluans eligible to go to Australia will initially be capped at 280 per year. Tuvalu, with a population of just over 11,000, is highly vulnerable to climate change, especially rising sea levels. The agreement also includes Australian assistance in response to natural disasters, health pandemics, and military aggression in Tuvalu.