The world's first digital country



Tuvalu, the fourth smallest nation in the world, announced its intention to become the world's first digital country back in 2022. But why, and how?



Facing the devastating effects of rising sea levels caused by climate change, the nation, made up of three reef islands and six atolls, is rapidly becoming uninhabitable. Tuvalu sits between Hawaii and Australia and is grappling with increasingly dire conditions. In 2022, at high tide, nearly 40% of the capital became submerged, according to the news agency Reuters.



A recent assessment by scientists at NASA indicated that "much of the land plus critical infrastructure will sit below the level of the current high tide by 2050". And projections suggest the entire country could be underwater by the year 2100. Global warming has already displaced many of Tuvalu's 11,000 inhabitants, while coral bleaching and coastal erosion continue to degrade the surrounding environment.



This is why the government plans to back up the country and rebuild a virtual online replica. The announcement was first made at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP27 by Tuvalu's Minister of Justice, Simon Kofe. He said, "As our land slips below the ocean, we have no choice but to become the world's first digital nation. Our land, our ocean, our culture are the most precious assets of our people".



The country has since been preserving Tuvalu's cultural and historical identity by recording historical documents, maps, family photograph albums, traditional songs, and other cultural practices, all of which will be accessible online. In early 2024, Place, a global non-profit organisation, began mapping the physical features of Funafuti, Tuvalu's capital, using drones and 360-degree cameras.



Though moving a country online has legal challenges – international law requires a country to have territory and population, both of which are uncertain in Tuvalu's future. At the same time, critics argue the plan is just for publicity, highlighting the need to reduce emissions.  



Whatever happens, a digital twin of the country will help preserve its culture and heritage for generations to come.



词汇表

Tuvalu [tuːˈvɑːluː] 图瓦卢（西太平洋岛国）

intention [ɪnˈtenʃ(ə)n] 意图，打算，计划

digital country ['dɪdʒɪt(ə)l] 数字化国家（本文指由于海平面上升威胁居住地，图瓦卢欲通过数字化手段来保存国家的文化、历史等）

devastating [ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ] 毁灭性的，极具破坏力的

reef island [ˈriːf ˈaɪlənd] 礁岛

atoll [ˈætɒl] 环礁，环状珊瑚岛

uninhabitable [ˌʌnɪnˈhæbɪtəbl] 不适宜居住的，无法居住的

grapple with [ˈɡræpl] 努力应对，设法解决

dire [ˈdaɪə(r)] 严重的，危急的，极端的

high tide [taɪd] 高潮，满潮（潮水最高的时候）

submerged [səbˈmɜːdʒd] 被水淹没的，水下的

assessment [əˈsesmənt] 评估，评定，评价

NASA [ˈnæsə] 美国国家航空航天局（全称 National Aeronautics and Space Administration）

critical infrastructure [ˈkrɪtɪkl ˈɪnfrəstrʌktʃə(r)] 关键基础设施

sit below 位于……下方

projection [prəˈdʒekʃn] 预测，推断，设想

underwater [ˌʌndəˈwɔːtə(r)] 水下的，在水中的

displace [dɪsˈpleɪs] 使背井离乡，迫使离开家园

inhabitant [ɪnˈhæbɪtənt] 居民，居住者

coral bleaching [ˈkɒrəl ˈbliːtʃɪŋ] 珊瑚白化

coastal erosion [ˈkəʊstl ɪˈrəʊʒn] 海岸侵蚀

degrade [dɪˈɡreɪd] 使恶化，使退化，使降级

back up 备份，支持

virtual online replica [ˈvɜːtʃuəl][ˈreplɪkə] 虚拟在线副本

COP27 [kɒp] 联合国气候变化大会第27届会议（全称27th Conference of the Parties）

Minister of Justice [ˈmɪnɪstə(r) ɒv ˈdʒʌstɪs] 司法部长

slip below [ˈslɪp bɪˈləʊ] 滑到…下面，沉入…下方

asset [ˈæset] 资产，财产，有价值的东西

historical identity [hɪˈstɒrɪkl aɪˈdentəti] 历史认同，历史身份

cultural practice 文化习俗

accessible [əkˈsesəbl] 可接近的，可进入的，可使用的

non-profit [ˌnɒn ˈprɒfɪt] 非营利的

map [ˈmæp] 绘制地图，测绘

Funafuti [ˌfuːnəˈfuːti] 富纳富提（图瓦卢首都）

drone [drəʊn] 无人机，无人驾驶飞机

360-degree camera 360度摄像机，全景摄像头

territory [ˈterətri] 领土，领地，版图

publicity [pʌbˈlɪsəti] 公众关注，宣传，宣扬



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