Latest news with #islands
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Huge £500million underground tunnels set to connect four UK islands & ‘reverse decades of depopulation'
PLANS for a £500million underground tunnel service connecting four UK Islands have been taken to the next level. This comes after Shetland councillors agreed to take forward proposals for the construction of tunnels between islands in a move described as 'a significant step.' 6 6 6 According to The National, a report on the future of Shetland's inter-island transport was presented to councillors for the first time on Wednesday. The report recommended enhanced ferry services for Fetlar, Foula, Papa Stour and Skerries, together with the case for tunnels to Bressay, Unst, Whalsay and Yell. In the wake of the report, councillors have now agreed to fund a study to establish the commercial and financial viability of a tunnel system. Future steps to move the project forward were also discussed. The options presented in the report don't come with any cost estimates, with the council emphasising the funding is uncertain. Earlier this year, The Scotsman reported that the tunnels are expected to cost more than £500million Council Leader Emma Macdonald told The National: "Tunnelling in Shetland is, ultimately, about future-proofing our island population. 'Transport connectivity is central to creating sustainable islands which provide good homes and good jobs for our people, and which reverse decades of depopulation.' She added: 'The experience of our neighbours in the Faroe Islands is clear - tunnelling from mainland Shetland to our outer islands could increase their population, lower their average age, and increase their economic prospects.' Such tunnels are common in the Faroe Islands and Norway. Ms Macdonald also insisted that they must continue to invest in a reliable ferry service as well. Councillors hope these plans will put a halt to depopulation In reference to Wednesday's meeting Ms Macdonald said: 'This represents a significant step towards the construction of tunnels between our islands.' One of the world's deepest bars to open in London Isles MP Alistair Carmichael expressed his excitement for this project, saying it is now time to deliver on this long-anticipated promise. The MP described the tunnels as having the potential to be transformative for Shetland's economy. Mr Carmichael added: 'It has been a long road just to reach this point and there is still a long way to go but I am glad that progress is being made.' He concluded that he is excited to keep up the momentum as he anticipates further talks with UK and Scottish governments. The report was published by a team of consultants appointed by Shetland Islands Council. A team of engineering consultancies COWI, Stantec and Mott Macdonald have been collaborating on the study, and exploring how transport links between islands could be improved over the next 30 years. The National also reported that Wednesday saw the discontinuation of any possibility of a Feltar tunnel for the time being. 6 6 6
CNN
a day ago
- Politics
- CNN
More than a third of this country's population has applied to relocate
More than a third of the population of Tuvalu has applied to move to Australia, under a landmark visa scheme designed to help people escape rising sea levels. The island nation – roughly halfway between Hawaii and Australia – is home to about 10,000 people, according to the latest government statistics, living across a clutch of tiny islets and atolls in the South Pacific. With no part of its territory above six meters, it is one of the most at-risk places in the world to rising seas caused by climate change. On June 16, Australia opened a roughly one-month application window for what it says is a one-of-a-kind visa offering necessitated by climate change. Under the new scheme, Australia will accept 280 visa winners from a random ballot between July and January 2026. The Tuvaluans will get permanent residency on arrival in Australia, with the right to work and access public healthcare and education. More than 4,000 people have applied under the scheme, according to official figures seen by CNN. 'The opening of the Falepili Mobility Pathway delivers on our shared vision for mobility with dignity, by providing Tuvaluans the opportunity to live, study and work in Australia as climate impacts worsen,' Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement. CNN has reached out to the Tuvalu government. According to Tuvalu's Prime Minister Feleti Teo, more than half of Tuvalu will be regularly inundated by tidal surges by 2050. By 2100, 90% of his nation will be regularly under water, he says. Fongafale, the nation's capital, is the largest and most populated islet in Tuvalu's main atoll, Funafuti. It has a runway-like strip of land just 65 feet (20 meters) wide in some places. 'You can put yourself in my situation, as the prime minister of Tuvalu, contemplating development, contemplating services for the basic needs of our people, and at the same time being presented with a very confronting and disturbing forecast,' Teo told the United Nations Oceans Conference this month in Nice, France. 'Internal relocation in Tuvalu is not an option, we are totally flat,' the prime minister said on June 12. 'There is no option to move inland or move to higher ground, because there is no higher ground.' The visa scheme is part of a broader pact signed between Australia and Tuvalu in 2023, which binds Australia to defending Tuvalu both militarily and against rising seas. Tuvalu, which claims 900,000 square kilometers of the South Pacific, is considered by Canberra as a crucial player in its ongoing struggle with China for regional influence. Recognition is something Australia has said it will guarantee for Tuvalu, even if nobody can live there in the future. 'The statehood and sovereignty of Tuvalu will continue, and the rights and duties inherent thereto will be maintained, notwithstanding the impact of climate change-related sea-level rise,' their treaty reads. In 2022, at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Tuvalu announced that it sought to become the first nation in the world to move entirely online. The government has since developed a plan to 'digitally recreate its land, archive its rich history and culture and move all government functions into a digital space.' Australia now recognizes Tuvalu's 'digital sovereignty,' which the country hopes will allow it to 'retain its identity and continue to function as a state, even after its physical land is gone.' Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said last year his country shared a vision for a 'peaceful, stable, prosperous and unified region.' 'It shows our Pacific partners that they can rely on Australia as a trusted and genuine partner.' Australia's support for the Pacific island nation has stood in stark contrast in recent months to US President Donald Trump's administration, which has imposed sweeping crackdowns on climate policies and immigration. Tuvalu is among a group of 36 countries that the Trump administration is looking to add to the current travel ban list, according to the Associated Press. The ban fully restricts entry of nationals from 12 countries: Afghanistan; Myanmar, also known as Burma; Chad; Republic of the Congo; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Haiti; Iran; Libya; Somalia; Sudan; and Yemen. People from seven countries also face partial restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. The 36 countries, including Tuvalu's Pacific neighbors Tonga and Vanuatu, had been told to commit to improving vetting of travelers and take steps to address the status of their nationals who are in the United States illegally or face similar restrictions, the AP reported, citing a diplomatic cable sent by the State Department.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
More than a third of this country's population has applied to relocate
More than a third of the population of Tuvalu has applied to move to Australia, under a landmark visa scheme designed to help people escape rising sea levels. The island nation – roughly halfway between Hawaii and Australia – is home to about 10,000 people, according to the latest government statistics, living across a clutch of tiny islets and atolls in the South Pacific. With no part of its territory above six meters, it is one of the most at-risk places in the world to rising seas caused by climate change. On June 16, Australia opened a roughly one-month application window for what it says is a one-of-a-kind visa offering necessitated by climate change. Under the new scheme, Australia will accept 280 visa winners from a random ballot between July and January 2026. The Tuvaluans will get permanent residency on arrival in Australia, with the right to work and access public healthcare and education. More than 4,000 people have applied under the scheme, according to official figures seen by CNN. 'The opening of the Falepili Mobility Pathway delivers on our shared vision for mobility with dignity, by providing Tuvaluans the opportunity to live, study and work in Australia as climate impacts worsen,' Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement. CNN has reached out to the Tuvalu government. According to Tuvalu's Prime Minister Feleti Teo, more than half of Tuvalu will be regularly inundated by tidal surges by 2050. By 2100, 90% of his nation will be regularly under water, he says. Fongafale, the nation's capital, is the largest and most populated islet in Tuvalu's main atoll, Funafuti. It has a runway-like strip of land just 65 feet (20 meters) wide in some places. 'You can put yourself in my situation, as the prime minister of Tuvalu, contemplating development, contemplating services for the basic needs of our people, and at the same time being presented with a very confronting and disturbing forecast,' Teo told the United Nations Oceans Conference this month in Nice, France. 'Internal relocation in Tuvalu is not an option, we are totally flat,' the prime minister said on June 12. 'There is no option to move inland or move to higher ground, because there is no higher ground.' The visa scheme is part of a broader pact signed between Australia and Tuvalu in 2023, which binds Australia to defending Tuvalu both militarily and against rising seas. Tuvalu, which claims 900,000 square kilometers of the South Pacific, is considered by Canberra as a crucial player in its ongoing struggle with China for regional influence. Recognition is something Australia has said it will guarantee for Tuvalu, even if nobody can live there in the future. 'The statehood and sovereignty of Tuvalu will continue, and the rights and duties inherent thereto will be maintained, notwithstanding the impact of climate change-related sea-level rise,' their treaty reads. In 2022, at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Tuvalu announced that it sought to become the first nation in the world to move entirely online. The government has since developed a plan to 'digitally recreate its land, archive its rich history and culture and move all government functions into a digital space.' Australia now recognizes Tuvalu's 'digital sovereignty,' which the country hopes will allow it to 'retain its identity and continue to function as a state, even after its physical land is gone.' Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said last year his country shared a vision for a 'peaceful, stable, prosperous and unified region.' 'It shows our Pacific partners that they can rely on Australia as a trusted and genuine partner.' Australia's support for the Pacific island nation has stood in stark contrast in recent months to US President Donald Trump's administration, which has imposed sweeping crackdowns on climate policies and immigration. Tuvalu is among a group of 36 countries that the Trump administration is looking to add to the current travel ban list, according to the Associated Press. The ban fully restricts entry of nationals from 12 countries: Afghanistan; Myanmar, also known as Burma; Chad; Republic of the Congo; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Haiti; Iran; Libya; Somalia; Sudan; and Yemen. People from seven countries also face partial restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. The 36 countries, including Tuvalu's Pacific neighbors Tonga and Vanuatu, had been told to commit to improving vetting of travelers and take steps to address the status of their nationals who are in the United States illegally or face similar restrictions, the AP reported, citing a diplomatic cable sent by the State Department.
CNN
a day ago
- Politics
- CNN
More than a third of this country's population has applied to relocate
More than a third of the population of Tuvalu has applied to move to Australia, under a landmark visa scheme designed to help people escape rising sea levels. The island nation – roughly halfway between Hawaii and Australia – is home to about 10,000 people, according to the latest government statistics, living across a clutch of tiny islets and atolls in the South Pacific. With no part of its territory above six meters, it is one of the most at-risk places in the world to rising seas caused by climate change. On June 16, Australia opened a roughly one-month application window for what it says is a one-of-a-kind visa offering necessitated by climate change. Under the new scheme, Australia will accept 280 visa winners from a random ballot between July and January 2026. The Tuvaluans will get permanent residency on arrival in Australia, with the right to work and access public healthcare and education. More than 4,000 people have applied under the scheme, according to official figures seen by CNN. 'The opening of the Falepili Mobility Pathway delivers on our shared vision for mobility with dignity, by providing Tuvaluans the opportunity to live, study and work in Australia as climate impacts worsen,' Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement. CNN has reached out to the Tuvalu government. According to Tuvalu's Prime Minister Feleti Teo, more than half of Tuvalu will be regularly inundated by tidal surges by 2050. By 2100, 90% of his nation will be regularly under water, he says. Fongafale, the nation's capital, is the largest and most populated islet in Tuvalu's main atoll, Funafuti. It has a runway-like strip of land just 65 feet (20 meters) wide in some places. 'You can put yourself in my situation, as the prime minister of Tuvalu, contemplating development, contemplating services for the basic needs of our people, and at the same time being presented with a very confronting and disturbing forecast,' Teo told the United Nations Oceans Conference this month in Nice, France. 'Internal relocation in Tuvalu is not an option, we are totally flat,' the prime minister said on June 12. 'There is no option to move inland or move to higher ground, because there is no higher ground.' The visa scheme is part of a broader pact signed between Australia and Tuvalu in 2023, which binds Australia to defending Tuvalu both militarily and against rising seas. Tuvalu, which claims 900,000 square kilometers of the South Pacific, is considered by Canberra as a crucial player in its ongoing struggle with China for regional influence. Recognition is something Australia has said it will guarantee for Tuvalu, even if nobody can live there in the future. 'The statehood and sovereignty of Tuvalu will continue, and the rights and duties inherent thereto will be maintained, notwithstanding the impact of climate change-related sea-level rise,' their treaty reads. In 2022, at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Tuvalu announced that it sought to become the first nation in the world to move entirely online. The government has since developed a plan to 'digitally recreate its land, archive its rich history and culture and move all government functions into a digital space.' Australia now recognizes Tuvalu's 'digital sovereignty,' which the country hopes will allow it to 'retain its identity and continue to function as a state, even after its physical land is gone.' Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said last year his country shared a vision for a 'peaceful, stable, prosperous and unified region.' 'It shows our Pacific partners that they can rely on Australia as a trusted and genuine partner.' Australia's support for the Pacific island nation has stood in stark contrast in recent months to US President Donald Trump's administration, which has imposed sweeping crackdowns on climate policies and immigration. Tuvalu is among a group of 36 countries that the Trump administration is looking to add to the current travel ban list, according to the Associated Press. The ban fully restricts entry of nationals from 12 countries: Afghanistan; Myanmar, also known as Burma; Chad; Republic of the Congo; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Haiti; Iran; Libya; Somalia; Sudan; and Yemen. People from seven countries also face partial restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. The 36 countries, including Tuvalu's Pacific neighbors Tonga and Vanuatu, had been told to commit to improving vetting of travelers and take steps to address the status of their nationals who are in the United States illegally or face similar restrictions, the AP reported, citing a diplomatic cable sent by the State Department.
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
'Report Asian hornet nests, don't try to destroy them'
People are being asked to track the location of Asian hornet nests rather than destroy comes as Queen Asian hornets are set to leave their primary nests alongside worker hornets to build their large main nests in new locations, capable of holding up to 2,000 States is asking members of the public to submit photos and information about where they find nests so the Asian hornet team can come and remove Asian hornet is described as a non-native invasive species, which poses a threat to biodiversity, pollinating insects and beekeeping activities. During this year's "Spring Queening" phase, more queen Asian hornets were trapped than any previous year with 69 queens caught and five primary nests of volunteers took part in "a comprehensive island-wide programme" to trap queen Asian hornets as they emerged from hibernation in the spring or as they arrived from France and possibly other islands. "We are really grateful to our trapping volunteers for their support and commitment to this project." said Francis Russell, the States' Asian Hornet Strategy project coordinator."We're also grateful to members of the wider public who have played a vital role in reporting potential Asian hornet or nest sightings to us."If you spot what you think might be a hornet, take a photo, observe where it goes, send the information to us and we'll do the rest."People are being asked to submit the information to asianhornet@ or call 07839 197082.
