The Pacific Islands are changing. What happens to cultural heritage when the people have to leave?

Thomas Cooper-Johnson On Lakina, a small, uninhabited islet in the Pacific nation of Tuvalu, a lone church stands among the coconut palms and pandanus trees.

It is the only building on the islet.

Yet the church, known as Lotolelei, has not been forgotten.

Families still travel from the neighbouring island Nanumea for occasional services and family gatherings.

Built in the early 20th century using timber brought from Kanton Island in what is now Kiribati, the church carries generations of community history and connection to place.

As Tuvalu, a nation of 9,646, invests in protecting its islands from rising sea levels, while creating opportunities for people to migrate to Australia , Lakina raises an important question: what happens to cultural heritage when the people that gave it meaning move away? The Lotolelei Church on the uninhabited islet of Lakina is still visited by locals from neighbouring islands.

Nicholas Foulcher Stay or leave: Tuvalu’s changing future Earlier this month, leaders visiting Tuvalu for the Pacific pre-COP climate meetings saw the country’s coastal adaptation and land-reclamation efforts.

These projects will ultimately add around six hectares of land to the main island of Funafuti.

Meanwhile, the Australia–Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty provides a pathway for Tuvaluans to live, work and study in Australia.

Up to 280 permanent residency places are currently available through an annual ballot.

Tuvalu is investing in its future, while expanding options available to those who choose to, or have to , move abroad due to climate change.

What buildings can tell us At the conclusion of the pre-COP meeting, COP31 President Murat Kurum said limiting global warming to 1.5°C was about the survival of “cultures, history, memories, your homeland, your homes”.

This comment highlights why cultural heritage deserves greater attention in adaptation and migration planning.

Our ongoing research focuses on endangered architecture and traditional building practices across Tuvalu.