Fiji prepares for relocation of dozens of coastal communities
As water levels rise and other climate risks grow, Fiji is examining where communities can remain safely or relocate.
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In Fiji, some residents are being forced to leave their coastal villages, while the government prepares for many more possible relocations. It is not only about protection from water, but also about land, work, schools, culture and having a say over where people start again.
Fiji’s climate service says more than eighty communities may need to be relocated because of existing or expected climate risks. That does not mean all those villages are being evacuated now. It is an inventory of places where coastal erosion, flooding, salt water and other hazards could undermine habitability.
Fiji already has experience with planned relocation. The village of Vunidogoloa previously moved inland because it regularly faced flooding. Such relocations require more than new homes: residents must retain access to farmland, fishing, education, healthcare and work.
Researchers from the University of Fiji and the International Organization for Migration are currently collecting data on climate-related displacement in Fiji and the wider Pacific. They are looking not only at physical exposure to hazards, but also at livelihoods, family ties, infrastructure and whether people want to move temporarily or permanently.
The Fijian government works with guidelines for planned relocation. These state that relocation should be a last resort, after protecting the existing settlement and other forms of adaptation have been considered. The community concerned must also play a central role in the decision.
The debate is therefore broader than the question of how many villages will disappear. Relocation can protect lives, but it can also disrupt ties with ancestors, burial grounds and traditional land. For Indigenous Fijians, land is also connected to identity and social organisation.
The situation in Fiji is not a simple forecast of a wholesale population movement across the Pacific. It does show, however, how climate change is already leading to choices about settlement and land use. How many people will ultimately move, when this will happen and who will bear the costs remain dependent on local decision-making, funding and how the climate develops.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Fiji has identified more than eighty communities that may need to be relocated for climate-related reasons.
- Research focuses on water safety as well as social consequences such as land, work and culture.
- The government works with guidelines for planned relocation.
Left
Arguments Emphasises that wealthy countries bear responsibility for financing adaptation, loss and damage, so island communities do not have to pay the bill themselves.
Values Climate justice, international solidarity and protection of Indigenous communities.
Consequences Fears that a lack of money will lead to forced migration and loss of culture.
Centre
Arguments Wants each community to examine a combination of coastal protection, adaptation and voluntary relocation, with local consent and lengthy preparation.
Values Pragmatism, public support and careful public planning.
Consequences Emphasises that relocation only works if schools, healthcare, work and infrastructure are also provided.
Right
Arguments Emphasises national control, affordability and the protection of property rights. Wants to prevent international climate targets from dictating local choices.
Values Self-determination, financial responsibility and national sovereignty.
Consequences Fears that costly relocation programmes will divert resources from immediate water safety and economic development.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The policy status of the possible relocations has been carefully distinguished from actual moves. The sources confirm the numbers, existing policy and ongoing research.
- confirmed Fiji has identified more than eighty communities that may need to be relocated. — This is stated on Fiji’s official climate portal. source
- confirmed Vunidogoloa previously moved inland because of climate risks. — Official Fijian information and background material describe this relocation. source
- confirmed The University of Fiji and IOM are researching climate-related displacement in Fiji and the Pacific. — The university describes the collaboration and research questions. source
- incorrect All eighty communities will be relocated soon. — These are potential relocation areas, not an established relocation programme for all the communities. source
- confirmed Planned relocation is considered a last resort in Fiji. — This principle is set out in the national guidelines described and in UN background material. source
1 correction(s) applied
- Was: Fiji prepares for the relocation of dozens of coastal communities.Now: Fiji is examining whether dozens of coastal communities may need to relocate in the longer term. (The official source refers to possible relocation, not an established decision to move.)
Editor's note
It is certain that Fiji has identified more than eighty communities as possible relocation areas and that research into climate-related displacement is under way. The scale and timing of a regional population movement remain uncertain.Sources
- Inwoners Fiji verlaten noodgedwongen hun huis vanwege klimaatverandering — NOS / NPO Radio 1
- About Adaptation — Fiji Climate Change and International Cooperation Division
- UniFiji Advances Climate Displacement Research Across Fiji and the Pacific — University of Fiji