"Sinking Nations" - Community Security and Resilience in the Context of Climate Change : A Case Study on Tuvalu

As one of the most discussed topics of this time, climate change and its consequences receive significant global attention. Climate displacement and climate refugees are widely discussed, and these issues are addressed by many international policy frameworks. Environmental impacts are extensively researched, and natural disasters affect millions of people today. Sea level rise leads to flooding and reef degradation, but it also poses an existential threat for Pacific island nations such as Tuvalu. Tuvalu is at risk of being fully flooded by the year 2100 according to NASA and is used as an exploratory case study for this research (NASA, 2024b). The legal impacts of climate displacement and the statehood issues Pacific island nations face are broadly debated. However, what remains underexplored is how climate change, the loss of habitable territory, and resulting migration affect community security and community resilience in countries such as Tuvalu. This thesis addresses this gap by analysing the Falepili Union Treaty and the Digital Nation project using qualitative text analysis, applying human security and community resilience frameworks, and showing where these initiatives fall short and where they contribute. An analysis of these documents and some bottom-up initiatives published online shows that neither initiative fully addresses human security and resilience issues, although they contribute greatly to creating a secure place for Tuvaluans in the future. Yet, the findings are relevant not only for Tuvalu, but also for other so-called sinking nations. This study highlights the importance of focusing not only on national security but also on community aspects and the role of the community as a security provider. The thesis concludes that continued international cooperation, migration pathways, and innovative research on how to preserve a community identity are essential as Tuvalu’s land becomes increasingly uninhabitable. It also recommends that other Pacific Island states start developing long-term adaptation strategies.