Tropical paradise beats with gasoline

The small island nation of Tuvalu in the South Pacific wants to stop using fossil fuels and produce electricity from renewable energy before 2020.

Located between Australia and the Hawaiian Islands (USA) on the Pacific Ocean, most of Tuvalu territory (including 9 islands) is less than 0.9 m above sea level. The highest place of this country is only 4.5 meters from sea level. Therefore, Tuvalu is facing the risk of being submerged by sea due to global warming. The Tuvalu government plans to replace "dirty fuels" such as wind and solar fuels and coal.

The government is forced to act drastically because Tuvalu is one of the countries that will suffer the most heavy losses from the greenhouse effect. Tuvalu has no heavy industry and almost no natural resources. So the carbon emissions that this country produces are very few. With the policy of stopping the use of fossil fuels, the small island nation can become the first country on the planet to not produce carbon emissions anymore.

Funafala Island is in southern Tuvalu.(Photo: Telegraph)

With an area of ​​about 26 square kilometers and a population of 12,000, Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world. There are no rivers and streams on the island, so people can only catch rainwater to drink. Floods have become more frequent and worse in recent years. That situation makes Tuvalu people understand that they may have to abandon the island if sea levels continue to rise.

A 40 KW solar battery system has been installed on the roof of the largest stadium on the island . Currently new batteries provide 5% of Funafuti's electricity needs. Although they have only been operating for 14 months, they have helped Tuvalu reduce 17,000 liters of gasoline imported from New Zealand. The project is funded by e8 - a non-profit international organization - and two Japanese energy companies.

The Tuvalu government is trying to expand the project. They want to install solar cells on all 9 islands of the country. The total cost of this ambition is about $ 20 million, while the Tuvalu economy depends entirely on foreign aid.

Tuvalu has many beautiful beaches, but people here may have to leave the country if the sea continues to rise.(Photo: janeresture.com)

Tuvalu is not the only country that wants to reduce carbon emissions to zero in the next decade. Maldives and many other countries have similar plans. Although these countries' efforts cannot prevent climate change, the United Nations still hopes that its actions will impact carbon-rich emissions such as the US and China.