Pacific Climate Research
Pacific-led research to better understand patterns of future climate mobilityMatikematike, marangamaranga!
Ka roko’ia koe e to pō kino
E te pō ara, e to pō tapu, ‘aitu e, e ara!
Be awake to the processes of change that are inexorably affecting
our customary ways of living, attitudes, and outlook toward our culture.
– Rangitukua Moeka’a, 1988
Climate change remains the single greatest existential threat facing the Pacific.
Climate-related displacements and relocations are already happening in the Pacific. This trend will continue and is likely to accelerate.
A lack of reliable data on climate mobility in the Pacific impedes the ability of our Pacific partners to adequately prepare for and respond to the challenges of climate mobility.
This commissioned research provides an understanding of patterns of future climate migration (internal and cross border), as well as the social and economic impacts on Pacific Island countries and Aotearoa New Zealand.
The term “climate mobility” includes situations where climate change and environmental factors are a driver for human movement. This covers displacements, migration, relocation and also immobility – the choice not to move.
Our research was across 17 communities and 7 Pacific locations, where people’s resilience, wellbeing and livelihoods are being challenged by climate change in various ways depending on the nature of environments and patterns of mobility.
Research Organisations
Akairo Consulting
TIRIA (previously Malatest International)
University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau
Our Pacific approach
Our research approach was grounded in the notion of being ‘of’ the region and ‘for’ the region.
There is a lack of research that centres local and indigenous ways of understanding the complex inter-relationships between mobility patterns of people and changing environments and wider transformations. This is partly because local and indigenous people are not the primary authors of the research. Our research addressed this by working with in-country researchers, including many postgraduate students, who were involved in data collection, data analysis and writing of research findings.
In-country capability development provided a key foundational rationale for our research plan:
To produce robust insightful and nuanced research using researchers who engage with community participants in the same language.
Fieldwork locations
Latest publications
Our research was part of a broader research programme in climate (im)mobility in the Pacific. This research was commissioned by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, funded by New Zealand’s climate finance. The views expressed here are the authors’ alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the New Zealand government. Research was also undertaken by Mana Pacific Consultants and the University of Waikato.
The synthesis report that summarises key insights and policy implications across the three projects is available here.