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Existential Threat From Rising Seas
- Tuvalu's islands average only 2 metres above sea level and face steady sea-level rise of ~3.9mm/year.
- Persistent flooding and saltwater intrusion risk making the islands economically and physically uninhabitable.
Shipping Costs Inflate Living Expenses
- Tuvalu pays high import costs because small boats burn large amounts of fuel per container, making essentials extremely expensive.
- Dependence on global oil prices and remote shipping drives high local cost of living despite low incomes.
Seafaring Jobs Fuel The Economy
- Many Tuvaluans work as seafarers on international ships, sending nearly all earnings home because food and lodging are provided abroad.
- This migrant labour has become a major and reliable source of foreign income for the country.