First name:
Lisa
Last name:
Younes
Class Year:
2023
Advisor:
Douglas Kysar
Essay Abstract:
As global warming spurs the melting of ice and the expansion of ocean water, sea level rise presents an imminent danger to the livelihoods of thousands of people worldwide. Sea level rise may force the erasure of entire nations in as little as 30 years. In response to this threat, the island nation of Tuvalu has declared its commitment to becoming the world’s first digital nation. By recreating their country in the metaverse, Tuvalu hopes to preserve its history and culture while maintaining its sovereignty and maritime boundaries. Using the criteria for statehood outlined by the 1933 Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States, this paper evaluates the legality and feasibility of digital nationhood as a mechanism for statehood preservation. This paper also considers negative consequences that may arise from the acceptance of metaverse technology to satisfy statehood criteria as well as concerns for emissions, accessibility, and user privacy. This paper ultimately finds that while digital nations may theoretically fulfill the criteria for recognized statehood, there are too many risks and caveats outweighing the enthusiastic endorsement of this technology as a solution for nations threatened by climate change-induced land loss. We cannot allow endangered nations and their citizens to inhabit the metaverse without proper safeguards in place addressing the role and power of the private platforms hosting their digital worlds. Metaverse technology is a promising means for cultural preservation in the form of digital museums, however, countries should pursue established legal routes like Nation Ex-Situ to maintain sovereignty and protect the story of their people.