The legacy of migration in response to climate stress: learning from theGilbertese resettlement in theSolomonIslands

Abstract

The long-term threat of sea-level rise to coral atoll and reef island communities in Kiribati, Tuvalu and other nations has raised the possibility of international migration. Historical resettlements in the Pacific may provide valuable insight into the long-term effect of future climate change-related migration on communities. This study evaluates the challenges faced by Gilbertese people resettled from modern-day Kiribati to Ghizo in the Solomon Islands by the British colonial administration in the mid-1900s. Drawing upon field interviews (n = 45) conducted in 2011 and the available historical literature, the study examines the circumstances of the initial failed resettlement in the equatorial Phoenix Islands, the subsequent relocation to Ghizo, and the recent concerns of the Gilbertese in Ghizo. Focus is placed on the struggle to recover from the 2007 tsunami that devastated the unprepared community. The analysis reveals that uncertainty about land tenure (raised by 61% of respondents) persists 60 years after resettlement, and is linked to the ability to recover from the tsunami, tensions with the Melanesian population, concerns over political representation, cultural decline, and education and employment opportunities. The Gilbertese experience can serve as a cautionary tale for policymakers considering mechanisms for facilitating climate change-related migration.

“The place where I live is where I belong”: community perspectives on climate change and climate-related migration in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu

“…In his eyes, considerations of the cultural links that communities have to their land are thus crucial to successful relocation. Such sentiments align well with similar scholarship in the Pacific regarding climate migration (Barnett & O'Neill, 2012;Campbell, 2012;Donner, 2015;Lazrus, 2012;McNamara & Des Combes, 2015;Monson & Foukona, 2014). To minimize cultural frictions, maintain cultural ties, and center a ni-Vanuatu understanding of land in climate-related resettlement policy, the voices of ni-Vanuatu communities should be sought out and adhered to in this policymaking.…”

“…McNamara and Des Combes (2015), who examine a resettlement of a village in Fiji as a 'last resort' measure to sustain livelihoods, and Donner (2015), who draws lessons from the historical resettlement of the Gilbertese people to the Solomon Islands, also corroborate the preferences that Pacific Islanders have had for moving only if other adaptation options are no longer available. When this is the case-when community participation indicates a determined community will to first examine alternative options to migrationsuch decisions must be respected (Constable, 2016).…”

“…Of these empirical works, there is an overwhelming focus on Tuvalu, Kiribati, and the Marshall Islands (Allgood & McNamara, 2017;Constable, 2016;Farbotko & Lazrus, 2012;McNamara & Gibson, 2009;Mortreux & Barnett, 2009). Some literature also exists on specific communities in Fiji (McNamara & Des Combes, 2015), the Solomon Islands (Monson & Foukona, 2014), and Papua New Guinea (Donner, 2015;Rakova et al, 2009). …”

Voluntary immobility and existential security in a changing climate in the Pacific

“…Research has widely found that populations experiencing involuntary and government‐led relocations – for example development‐forced displacement and resettlement (DFDR) to make way for dams, hydro‐electricity schemes or urban expansion – experience negative outcomes (Maldonado et al, ; Wilmsen and Webber, ). Relocation risks include loss of land, employment, shelter and access to common resources; economic marginalisation; increased morbidity and mortality; food insecurity; disrupted social networks; and negative cultural and psychological impacts (Cernea, ; de Sherbinin et al, ; Donner, ). A commonly referred to example of forced relocation in the Pacific Islands is that of the Banabans who were relocated from Banaba Island to Rabi Island in Fiji (a distance of 3200 km) by the British Government in 1945 to make way for commercial interests around high‐grade phosphate mining (a component of fertilisers).…”

Comparing perceived effects of climate-related environmental change and adaptation strategies for the Pacific small island states of Tuvalu, Samoa, and Tonga

“…Yet interestingly, most studies show that except for communities that already face severe coastal erosion or flooding due to subsidence, until now, other means of adaptation and more sustainable management are often not only possible, but also favoured by island populations before such drastic measures would need to come into play (Betzold, 2015;Barnett & O'Neill, 2012;Lazrus, 2012;Farbotko & Lazrus, 2012;Farbotko, 2005Farbotko, , 2010Shen & Gemenne, 2011;Mortreux & Barnett, 2009;Donner, 2015;Connell, 2016). The results of these studies exemplarily demonstrate that despite the fact that outsiders might view island environments as extremely vulnerable and retreat as a logical consequence, the international dialogue has often failed to include the diversity of local perspectives.…”