Tavau Teii

Tavau Teii is a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu.

After standing unsuccessfully for Parliament in the 2002 general election in the constituency of Niutao, Teii won a by-election on 5 May 2003 triggered by the death of the incumbent.

He was Deputy Prime Minister of Tuvalu in the Government of Apisai Ielemia. His ministerial portfolio included that of Minister of Natural Resources.

Teii lost his bid for re-election in the 2010 Tuvaluan general election. He was a candidate in the Tuvaluan general election, 2015 and received 90 votes, but was not elected to parliament.

Teii during his tenure as Minister of Natural Resources and Environment attended the The Nairobi Climate Change Summit held in November 2006. As Deputy Prime Minister Teii represented Tuvalu to discuss the implications of Climate Change at the United Nations High-Level Event on Climate Change at the United Nations General Assembly, between the 29th of September 2007 and 1 October 2007. Teii proposed possible changes to the Kyoto Protocol to be discussed at the Bali Climate Change Conference held between the 3rd and 15 December 2007.

In his Speech on 29 September 2007 at the High-Level Meeting, Teii declared that “Tuvalu is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change so we are seeking new funding arrangements to protect us from the impacts of climate change,” and “Rather than relying on aid money we believe that the major greenhouse polluters should pay for the impacts they are causing."