FightForTuvalu was founded in 2019 by our Director, James Dimas, when he was tasked with writing a thesis and chose to focus on the climate displacement of Tuvalu. As the son of an immigrant, James has long been fascinated by migration patterns, and with the onset of global warming, a new form of migration is emerging. His research revealed that nations and organisations have not adequately addressed the consequences of climate-induced displacement, nor do they show signs of doing so. At FightForTuvalu, we believe it is crucial to confront the pressing issue of climate displacement in Tuvalu and other island nations facing the same challenges.
Fight For Tuvalu is a grassroots, up-and-coming Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) dedicated to raising international awareness about the situation in Tuvalu, educating individuals, and protecting the nation from climate displacement.
Our mission is to provide resources to help secure Tuvalu from the threat of displacement, by funding a range of on-the-ground initiatives, mitigation efforts and campaigns, whilst identifying reliable land for Tuvalu's population to migrate to safely in the event of displacement. We are also advocating for critical changes to international legislation, which currently fails to legally protect climate refugees—past, present, and future. Additionally, we are committed to holding major world polluters accountable, those predominantly responsible for the ramifications of climate change. Tuvalu will be a global test case: while Tuvaluans may become the world’s first climate refugees, they certainly won’t be the last.
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as an up-and-coming NGO
FightForTuvalu is an up-and-coming NGO. We describe ourselves as "up-and-coming" because we are carefully analyzing global support for this issue, growing our grassroots campaign through direct engagement, and evaluating if it's the right time to take on formal legal status. Building credibility through active participation on our website and social media, as well as with individuals taking the pledge, will ultimately shape the future of our campaign. Through this approach, we aim to achieve multiple goals, staying grassroots.
Our initiatives are developed in close collaboration with the Tuvaluan people and their government, with the goal of implementing them in the immediate future. These efforts will be guided by the advice of the Tuvaluan community and an analysis of the areas most in need of global support, including education reform, reef maintenance, land reclamation projects, climate mitigation efforts, and more.
A cornerstone of our movement is the fight to establish legal status for individuals displaced by climate change, as they are currently not recognised under international law—leaving them in a legislative grey area. Securing this legal recognition is crucial for the survival of the Tuvaluan nation. Tuvalu stands at the frontline of climate-related displacement, directly facing the impacts of climate change. How the international community responds to this crisis will set a precedent for how climate refugees are treated and shape the future of displaced populations. Tuvalu is a critical test—if we fail to act here, we may lose the opportunity to address climate displacement effectively.
We strive to be a transparent organisation, regularly publishing literature and addressing all questions openly. This will be achieved through the dedication of our volunteers and a leadership structure based on merit and a thorough vetting process. Additionally, we are committed to collaborating with other organisations that share our mission, working together to combat the damaging trajectory of climate displacement and climate change.
