At the Frontline of Climate Change: Adaptation, Limitations and Way Forward for the South Pacific Island States

Abstract

The indicators of climate change pose multiple challenges for the inhabitants of the Pacific Island Nations. The remoteness and the limited resource base of the South Pacific Island states makes them particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The response to sea level rise and extreme weather events due to climate change in the South Pacific region targets on adaptation in preference to mitigation. Over the past decade, community-based climate change adaptation has gained momentum and several successful projects have been implemented and evaluated. However, several publications still exist as grey literature. This paper attempts to congregate current best-practice in climate change adaptation, primarily focusing on community and ecosystem based approaches. Based on the available literature and case studies, widespread adaptation methods to overcome the vulnerability and conceivable impacts of climate change in the South Pacific region is determined. Conversely, with the evidence available, there exists some barriers that impede the reinforcements and implementations of climate change based adaptation strategies. Limits to adaptation lie within the South Pacific society, hence, are restrained by lack of knowledge, policies, funding, human resource constraints and ethics. The paper concludes by providing recommendations and the way forward for community-based climate change adaptation initiatives in the South Pacific region.