This paper examines how Tuvalu uses political discourse to reaffirm its sovereignty in the face of rising seas and the potential loss of its territory. Based on twenty-two UN speeches delivered between 2005 and 2024, the study shows that vulnerability becomes a strategic tool through which Tuvalu asserts its legitimacy and positions itself as an active leader in global environmental governance. By performing vulnerability, the country appeals to international responsibility, defends the principle of state continuity, and seeks to secure its enduring membership in the international community, even if its territory were to disappear.