Population Resettlement in the Pacific: lessons from a hazardous history?

Connell, John

doi:10.1080/00049182.2012.682292

Cited by 46 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…In addition, the study of past relocations has also led to an understanding of the associated problems and how they might be alleviated in the future (Connell 2012). However, a challenge remains in countries like Fiji where past settlement relocation commonly occurred for reasons that differed from those likely to necessitate future relocation.…”

Section: Relocation and Migrationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Value of traditional oral narratives in building climate-change resilience: insights from rural communities in Fiji

Janif¹,

Nunn²,

Geraghty³

et al. 2016

E&S

114

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ABSTRACT. In the interests of improving engagement with Pacific Island communities to enable development of effective and sustainable adaptation strategies to climate change, we looked at how traditional oral narratives in rural/peripheral Fiji communities might be used to inform such strategies. Interviews were undertaken and observations made in 27 communities; because the custodians of traditional knowledge were targeted, most interviewees were 70-79 years old.The view that oral traditions, particularly those referring to environmental history and the observations/precursors of environmental change, were endangered was widespread and regretted. Interviewees' personal experiences of extreme events (natural disasters) were commonplace but no narratives of historical (unwitnessed by interviewees) events were found. In contrast, experiences of previous village relocations attributable (mainly) to environmental change were recorded in five communities while awareness of environmentally driven migration was more common. Questions about climate change elicited views dominated by religious/fatalist beliefs but included some more pragmatic ones; the confusion of climate change with climate variability, which is part of traditional knowledge, was widespread.The erosion of traditional environmental knowledge in the survey communities over recent decades has been severe and is likely to continue apace, which will reduce community self-sufficiency and resilience. Ways of conserving such knowledge and incorporating it into adaptation planning for Pacific Island communities in rural/peripheral locations should be explored.

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Section: Relocation and Migrationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Value of traditional oral narratives in building climate-change resilience: insights from rural communities in Fiji

Janif¹,

Nunn²,

Geraghty³

et al. 2016

E&S

114

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“…An increasing distrust in Pacific leaders' commitment to take appropriate action is shown with year of study (Table S2), probably reflecting increased respondent exposure to materials challenging this commitment. The significantly higher level of trust in atoll nation leaders compared to those from high island countries (52 % compared to 21 % in Table S2) may reflect the way that the former group has led island nations in international fora as well as their focus on practical solutions, such as negotiations with other island leaders for resettlement of exposed populations (Connell 2012).…”

Section: Sources Of Information and Trustmentioning

confidence: 98%

Pacific Islanders’ understanding of climate change: Where do they source information and to what extent do they trust it?

et al. 2016

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The experience of environmental stress and attitudes towards climate change was explored for 1226 students at the University of the South Pacific, the foremost tertiary institution serving the independent nations of the Pacific. Students sourced information regarding climate change from media including television, radio, and newspapers; the community (typically via their village, church, and extended family); the University and their friends; and in addition to regional agencies such as the Pacific Community. Most students concluded that they could not believe all of the informations provided by these sources. The findings demonstrate that most students-the future elite of the region-rank global environmental change as the highest future risk. Although nearly all respondents believed that climate change was happening, more than half of respondents believed that the risk was exaggerated and only one-third believed that science would find an answer, suggesting a lack of trust in scientific sources of information. Results also showed that these attitudes varied across demographic factors such as age, region, and gender. The understanding of contemporary attitudes towards global environmental change among a cohort that is likely to include future national leaders in the Pacific Islands region presents unique opportunities for long-range planning of intervention and support strategies. Of particular note for effective intervention and support is the breadth and trustworthiness of various information sources including Pacific Island leaders.

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“…However, the international community has given little or no consideration-at least publicly-to the question whether entire nations or significant communities within them should be enabled to emigrate together, and, if they do, what might be done to preserve their cultures and languages, let alone their political identities. There are, of course, precedents for the displacement and resettlement of populations both within and across political boundaries in the region, including colonial resettlement programs (Connell 2012). However, certain issues are not being addressed, including the possibility, experienced in the case of pre-independence Nauru, that communities offered resettlement might prefer not to go.…”

Section: Other Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainability: Suspicions Concerning Attainability, with Particular Reference to the Pacific

Wolfers

2017

PORTAL

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Sustainability and unsustainability are frequently deployed in discussions of intended, predicted and observed changes occurring in or impacting on Pacific islands societies. Local communities often have their own distinctive understanding of the natural environment. Their concern for sustainability frequently extends further afield – to languages, cultures, and other aspects of life. International agreements and the constitutions of a number of Pacific islands countries address relevant issues. Constitutional government in the region has been remarkably sustained. Sustainable development has diverse dimensions and can be controversial. Climate change and rising sea-levels threaten the very survival of low-lying islands. Harvesting of non-renewable resources raises particular issues. Pacific islands studies have made significant contributions to scientific knowledge and human understanding of issues and processes of wider, even global importance.

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Population Resettlement in the Pacific: lessons from a hazardous history?

Cited by 46 publications

References 13 publications

Value of traditional oral narratives in building climate-change resilience: insights from rural communities in Fiji

Value of traditional oral narratives in building climate-change resilience: insights from rural communities in Fiji

Pacific Islanders’ understanding of climate change: Where do they source information and to what extent do they trust it?

Sustainability: Suspicions Concerning Attainability, with Particular Reference to the Pacific

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