In a small stretch of blue amid the vast Pacific Ocean, Tuvalu’s shrinking coastline is a stark reminder that climate change isn’t a distant threat—it’s an urgent crisis unfolding in real time. If left unaddressed, Tuvalu and other small island nations could face extinction. The global community has a responsibility to protect the unique culture and history of these islands.
The World Bank’s latest report on Tuvalu’s situation highlights the severe consequences of inaction. It estimates that adapting to a 0.5-meter rise in sea levels could cost Kiribati, Tuvalu, and the Marshall Islands nearly $10 billion, roughly equivalent to their combined GDP over 20 years. This amount includes physical adaptations such as building seawalls in urban areas, elevating homes, and relocating communities inland. However, it does not cover additional adaptation costs needed for healthcare, education, and energy systems, nor the expenses involved in importing materials like sand and rock for new infrastructure, such as roads, housing, and inland runways.
Despite the immense financial challenges, there is hope. The Bank and other development partners are working with the three countries to increase their resilience through various investments in renewable energy, climate-sensitive agriculture, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable urban planning – guided by Western science and Traditional Knowledge. In addition to addressing climate change, these projects will provide much-needed economic growth through jobs in sectors such as fishing and tourism.
But the looming danger of disappearance makes the need for greater global solidarity even more pressing. During this week’s Annual Meetings, President Surangel Whipps of the Republic of Palau called for more significant support for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), disproportionately affected by climate change despite minimally contributing. The island nations need to invest in their future, he said, including by investing in infrastructure such as schools and hospitals and strengthening disaster resilience.
The Bank’s Annual Meetings also highlighted several significant new developments. It launched a new strategy to enable 300 million more people to access broadband and to support 250 million people with social protection programs. It also set a new target to empower 80 million women and their businesses by providing them with access to capital.
This new direction marks a crucial moment for the Bank as it evolves its mission to ensure that job creation is an explicit aim, not just a byproduct of its work. As this shift takes shape, the Bank will continue to focus on the key pillars of resilience: agriculture, oceans, and gender. The Annual Meetings are a critical time to strengthen the partnership between the Bank and its partners in pursuing this vision. We can only succeed together.
