Climate change and community resilience in Samoa

Abstract

Being resilient in the face of climate change seems especially important for island societies, which face the effects of rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, changing wind patterns and sea level rise. To date, most studies of adaptation and resilience among Pacific island communities have used indicators and methods rooted in Western science and neo-classical economics. These have been criticized as being locally irrelevant and inadequate to appreciate the dynamic nature and social structures of island communities and their capacity to adapt. This paper challenges the paradigm that defines resilience as a return to equilibrium, by using a non-equilibrium, cultural ecological lens. The non-equilibrium view of resilience sees the social systems of island nations as highly dynamic and undergoing persistent adaptation in the face of changing environmental factors. Field-based research undertaken in eight villages in Samoa found that, through constant exposure to environmental change over extended periods of time, communities have become resilient and are in a position to adapt to future changes. In developing future policy in relation to climate change, Pacific island governments need to develop a more nuanced understanding of islanders' perceptions and historical actions in the context of both their physical locations and their dynamic socio-cultural systems.

The place of a socio-cultural environment in climate change discourse

“…They do not attribute their plight to climate because they are used to managing high rainfall variability. Similar sentiments are expressed by Latai-Niusulu et al (2020) who observed that Samoan communities have over the years developed multi-layered arrangements of extended families, villages, churches as well as government and external agencies in developing resilience to climate change and variability. In Kenya, attempts by the government to rehabilitate the Mau Complex through tree planting have often hit a snug (Kweyu et al 2020).…”

“…Despite the efforts, households are often reluctant to adopt the new technologies wholesale. Instead, they opt for indigenous knowledge and technologies (Smale et al 2009;Latai-Niusulu et al 2020) or co-production of knowledge (a blend agricultural science acquired from extension workers and agro-ecological knowledge acquired from their environment) (Newsham and Thomas 2011). On the evidence of Tiffen et al (1994), Smale et al (2009) (non-adoption of improved seed varieties) and Recha et al (2017) (non-adoption of seasonal climate forecast in agricultural decision-making), farmers are not satisfied or disagree with some of the innovations proposed by scientists.…”

A review of mental health and wellbeing under climate change in small island developing states (SIDS)

“…Cultural aspects such as Fenua in Tuvalu (Stratford et al 2013 ) and Vanua in Fiji (Williksen‐Bakker 1990 ) sit at the core of Pacific Island culture to relate people, their societies, and their identities to nature, land, and natural resources, intertwining with people’s mental health and wellbeing. Relocation and migration can therefore have substantial mental health and wellbeing impacts though the loss of place attachment, ancestral connections, and identities, which in turn can lead to eroded belief systems, family ties, and local and cultural knowledges (Stratford et al 2013 , McMichael et al 2019 , Latai-Niusulu et al 2020 , Singh et al 2020 ). The mental health and wellbeing effects of forced migration—and subsequent loss of land, culture, and identity—were demonstrated among the Banabans forcibly relocated to Fiji during colonial times (Tabucanon 2012 ).…”

Cascading loss and loss risk multipliers amid a changing climate in the Pacific Islands

“…Strong and enduring social cohesion is grounded in the connectedness and solidarity within countries, people feeling a part of a ‘community’ and a strong relationship between its members. In the Pacific Islands, varied and ‘tight’ networks within social and familial bonds have previously proved critical for rebuilding and recovery efforts, and can also be strengthened and reinforced in the face of adversities such as extreme weather events (Latai-Niusulu et al 2020 ).…”