Tuvalu has announced plans to recreate itself in the metaverse, in an attempt to "preserve" the Pacific Island nation before rising sea levels engulf it completely. The government has also stressed the urgency of a shared global effort to fight climate change, which has put Tuvalu under constant threat.
"As our land disappears, we have no choice but to become the world’s first digital nation," said Tuvalu's foreign minister Simon Kofe in a speech to the COP27 climate summit, delivered against the backdrop of a digital island. "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'll move them to the cloud."
iRobot Roomba Combo i3+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and Mop—$329.99(List Price $599.99)
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet—$178.99(List Price $219.99)
Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case—$199.00(List Price $249.00)
Eero 6 Dual-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 System (Router + 2 Extenders)—$149.99(List Price $199.99)
Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS, 41mm, Midnight, S/M, Sports Band)—$299.00(List Price $399.00)
Tuvalu is under extreme threat from global warming, with scientists predicting it will become uninhabitable within the next 100 years or less. High tides cause severe flooding at the start of every year, and residents fear it is only getting worse. Last year Kofe addressed the COP26 while standing thigh-deep in water in order to stress the dire importance of climate action.
"Since COP26, the world has not acted, and so we in the Pacific have had to act," said Kofe in this year's address. "We have seen temperature rise projections remain well above 1.5 degrees Celsius, foretelling the imminent disappearance of islets like this one."
With a total land area of just 10 square miles spread across its nine low-lying islands, Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world by area. It is also the third smallest by population, with approximately 12,000 people calling it home. The digitisation project will begin with recreating Teafualiku Islet, Tuvalu's smallest island and the first part of the country that will be lost if sea levels continue to rise.
Tuvalu's small size makes recreating it in the metaverse a considerably less daunting task than if a larger country such as China were to attempt it. Even so, digitally replicating a country is still an arduous undertaking, particularly considering the level of accuracy this project will no doubt aim for. Metaverse graphics generally aren't exactly dazzling either, but regardless of how good they are the digital Tuvalu will inevitably lose much of its beauty in translation.
It's far from a perfect solution, if it can be called a solution at all. But at least it's better than letting an entire Pacific Island nation's culture, history, and landmarks literally disappear into the sea.
SEE ALSO:8 ways climate change is already impacting you"Piece by piece we'll preserve our country, provide solace to our people, and remind our children and our grandchildren what our home once was," Kofe told the COP27. "Only considered global effort can ensure that Tuvalu does not move permanently online and disappear forever from the physical plane.
"Without a global conscience and a global commitment to our shared wellbeing, we may soon find the rest of the world joining us online as their lands disappear."
This isn't the first time Tuvalu has investigated how digital solutions might mitigate the disastrous impact of climate change. In 2021 the government took steps toward establishing a Tuvalu National Digital Ledger, which would secure its citizens' data on a public blockchain. Including identity, citizenship, and financial information, this blockchain aims to ensure Tuvalu's continued existence if its entire land mass is eventually engulfed by the sea.
Of course, neither the blockchain nor the metaverse is any substitute for actually having dry land to live on.
TopicsVirtual Reality
(责任编辑：焦點)
This company is hiring someone just to drink all day
Sony is giving away 'Horizon Zero Dawn' for free on PS4 and PS5Sony is giving away 'Horizon Zero Dawn' for free on PS4 and PS5
Stunning photo shows Perseverance's Mars landing from aboveFyvush Finkel, Emmy winner for 'Picket Fences,' dies at 93Dressage horse dancing to 'Smooth' by Santana wins gold for chillest horse
Okay forget everyone else -- this horse named Lorenzo is our favorite Olympic athlete now.。Lorenzo,
...[详细]How battery swapping could reduce EV charge time to just 10 minutes
The fastest electric vehicle charging stations currently get an empty battery to 80 percent full in
...[详细]'Avatar' passes 'Avengers: Endgame' for box office record
UPDATE: March 13, 2021, 11:59 a.m. EST This article was updated to include a response to the news fr
...[详细]Gender bias online is as harmful as ever. Here are a few ways to fight back.
While not a new problem, online gender bias remains pernicious and pervasive. Combating it is tricky
...[详细]Katy Perry talks 'Rise,' her next batch of songs, and how to survive Twitter
Katy Perry recently surpassed 90 million followers on Twitter, making her the person with the most f
...[详细]Logan Paul, now an intellectual, says he's done with Hollywood
Forget Notes App apologies — now influencers are dropping Notes App prose. Logan Paul hinted a
...[详细]
Uber's 70,000 UK drivers will now be guaranteed the National Living Wage, in addition to holiday pay
...[详细]Apple is giving its digital assistant Siri a much
It looks like Apple is finally acknowledging that Siri's default female voice isn't a good look. Acc
...[详细]Olympic security asks female Iranian fan to drop protest sign
Olympic security personnel questioned a female Iranian volleyball fan Saturday when she showed up fo
...[详细]OnePlus just revealed the 9 Pro early and Apple might be the reason
OnePlus jumped the gun on its own March 23 event by a week, and it might have something to do with a
...[详细]