STRUGGLE OF PACIFICANS WITH CLIMATE CHANGE

                                    STRUGGLE OF  PACIFICANS WITH CLIMATE CHANGE

  Day by day, the climate crisis is forcing Pacific Islanders to face existential threats. According to a recent report, rising seas, coastal erosion, and extreme weather are already affecting access to clean water, food, and safe shelter in islands like Tuvalu and Kiribati.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says that at least 50,000 Pacific Islanders face the risk of displacement every year due to rising sea levels and extreme weather. More than half of the Pacific Islands’ population lives within 500 meters of the coast, where climate pressures are strongest.

Experts like Tupai Fotu Jackson highlight that Pacific people are not just victims, but skilled workers seeking stability and opportunities. Individuals, such as 47-year-old Tuvaluan Tealofi, expressed that if a special ‘refugee visa’ existed, they would use it to escape the worst impacts of climate change.

New Zealand has not yet commented on creating a humanitarian visa, but around 9% of its population identifies as having Pacific heritage. Back in 2017, former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern proposed offering humanitarian visas to 100 Pacific Islanders annually, but the plan never materialized Amnesty International calls for urgent reform of New Zealand’s immigration policies to adopt a rights-based approach. The report stated that "this would also include the provision of a special humanitarian visa" and emphasized providing safe options for those most seriously affected by climate change.

 Additionally, A report that was established on 27 August 2024 by World Meteorological Organization (WMO) indicates that rising of sea level in Pacific is higher than rest of the countries’ average. Since 1980, ocean surface temperatures increased by three times. Acidifiction of ocean affect sea ecosystem and livelihoods of  Pacificans negatively.

 Unfortunetaly, Pacificans face with critic ilinesses: On an article (dated on 12 August 2025) by The Guardian indicates: As of 2025, dengue fever in the Pacific Islands has reached its highest level in a decade, heavily affecting Samoa, Fiji, and Tonga. Rising temperatures, rainfall, and humidity have boosted Aedes mosquito activity, spreading the disease even to low-risk areas. Samoa reported over 5,600 cases, Fiji over 10,969, and Tonga more than 800. These outbreaks reveal the vulnerability of local health systems, as the Pacific Islands, despite contributing only 0.03% of global emissions, face severe climate-driven health risks.

  At this rate, Pacificans are not only in trouble with from displacing from their homelands. On top of that, they are having problems about health, economic and social-structural aspects. On a blog (dated 2023) from “World Bank Blogs” website highlights the Pacificans take some precautions and adaptation strategies. For example, they build natural barrier to prevent erosions and try to adapt their fields for salty waters. At the same time, they have some urgent plans for extreme weather conditions. On the other hand, blog continues with traditional methods may reach their limits and It emphasizes that external interventions sometimes do not align with the needs of the communities. Adaptation and aid projects provided at national or international levels can overlook the cultural structures and social norms of the communities, which can reduce the effectiveness of these projects and even create distrust within the communities. Thus, it emphasizes struggle with climate change and adaptation periods should be designed according to social structure of  Pacificans.

 







Links:
 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/09/climate-crisis-humanitarian-visa-displaced-pacific-islanders?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/12/dengue-fever-outbreaks-samoa-fiji-tonga-climate-crisis?

https://wmo.int/news/media-centre/climate-change-transforms-pacific-islands

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/eastasiapacific/listening-first-responders-climate-change-social-dimensions-climate-change-pacific