Amnesty Warns: Thousands of People in the Pacific Need a Legal Pathway to Survive
Amnesty has launched an urgent campaign calling on the government of Aotearoa New Zealand to introduce “climate visas” for families from Pacific Island nations such as Tuvalu and Kiribati, as they are suffering the most severe effects of climate change.
What is happening?
In 2025, the world is experiencing one of the warmest years on record, with storms, floods, and fires. Tuvalu and Kiribati have been suffering the consequences of climate change for years despite having contributed almost nothing to it. In these territories, rising sea levels are causing severe losses: coastal erosion, crop destruction, water and soil contamination, flooding, droughts, and devastation for the most vulnerable people (women, children, people with disabilities, and the elderly).
Amnesty reports that the current criteria for applying for humanitarian visas exclude many vulnerable groups from these island territories. For this reason, it proposes the creation of a human-rights-based visa that would allow families to live with dignity, rebuild their lives, and plan for a new future.
The organization is also calling on New Zealand and Aotearoa to step up international support for mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage financing, so that those who wish to remain in their homes can do so safely.
Your participation matters
Amnesty encourages citizens to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Aotearoa New Zealand to request visas for people suffering from climate change and climate-related disasters.
Conexión CP Team
[translated from Spanish]
27th October 2025
