‘We don’t want to be climate refugees’: Torres Strait uncles fear for their islands and their people
The GuardianSaturday, July 12, 2025 at 9:30:21 PM
Two Indigenous elders from the Torres Strait, Uncle Paul Kabai and Uncle Pabai Pabai, are fighting to protect their island homes from rising sea levels and climate change. Their case, now before Australia’s federal court, could set a crucial precedent for safeguarding vulnerable island communities. The uncles’ plea is simple but urgent: they don’t want to become climate refugees forced to leave the land their people have lived on for generations.
Editor’s Note: This isn’t just a legal battle—it’s about survival. If the court rules in favor of the uncles, it could force Australia to take stronger action on climate change to protect Indigenous communities. But if it doesn’t, entire cultures and ways of life could disappear under rising seas. It’s a stark reminder that climate change isn’t just about polar bears or future generations—it’s already reshaping lives today.
— Curated via WP Now’s
