Tuvalu is exploring legal avenues to retain ownership of its maritime zones and statehood even if the Pacific Island nation is completely submerged because of the climate crisis, according to its Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Simon Kofe.
He said, "We're actually imagining a worst-case scenario in which we're forced to relocate, or our lands are submerged."
Images of Kofe standing knee-deep in the sea while recording a speech to the UN COP26 climate summit have been widely shared on social media in recent days, gratifying the tiny island nation, which is pushing for aggressive action to mitigate the effects of climate change.