Tuvalu Leader Demands Global Response to Rising Seas at Ocean Conference

NICE, FRANCE - June 7

In France over the weekend, Tuvalu Prime Minister Hon. Feleti P. Teo issued a strong call for global action on climate change and rising sea levels—a message that deeply resonates with Kiribati.

Speaking at the Ocean Rise and Resilience Coalition Summit, Prime Minister Teo described sea level rise as the greatest existential threat to low-lying nations like Tuvalu—threatening not only their economies, but their culture, heritage, and very land.

For Kiribati, the situation is strikingly similar. Coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, and land loss continue to threaten many of the island communities. Like Tuvalu, Kiribati faces a future that depends on global cooperation and climate justice.

Prime Minister Teo called for fair solutions and access to funding for resilient infrastructure, stressing that no country should face climate change alone.

Kiribati joins the voice of Tuvalu and other Pacific nations in supporting the work of the Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Coalition, as it continues to call for global empathy and action—before it’s too late.