Communications of the ACM
Tuvalu Turns to Metaverse as Rising Seas Threaten Existence
Up to 40% of the country's capital district is under water at high tide, and the entire country is forecast to be under water by the end of the century.
Credit: Sean Gallagher
The Pacific island-nation of Tuvalu said it intends to replicate itself in the metaverse to preserve its history and culture amid threatened submersion by rising sea levels.
Tuvalu foreign minister Simon Kofe told the COP27 climate summit, "Our land, our ocean, our culture are the most precious assets of our people and to keep them safe from harm, no matter what happens in the physical world, we will move them to the cloud."
Kofe hopes the digital version of Tuvalu will allow the country to continue as a state, even if the ocean covers it completely.
He said seven governments have agreed to continue recognizing Tuvalu even if it is covered in water, adding that its submersion would be challenging from the standpoint of international law.
From Reuters
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