From 2025, Tuvaluans will be able to emigrate to Australia to escape the worst effects of climate change. (Image credit: Dmitry Malov via Getty Images)
More than 5,000 people have applied for a unique migration visa that gives Pacific islanders a chance to escape the worst impacts of climate change.
Applications for the Tuvalu visa opened on June 16 and close today (July 18). Under the terms, 280 Tuvaluans will be able to migrate to Australia each year from 2025 through a voting system. Just four days after the start of voting, 3,125 Tuvaluans – about a third of the country’s population of 11,000 – have already signed up for the visa. According to Nikkei Asia, 5,157 applications had been submitted by July 11.
“This is the first agreement of its kind in the world, providing the opportunity for decent mobility in the face of increasing climate impacts,” Australian government officials said in a statement to New Scientist.
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Sourse: www.livescience.com
