Sinking Islands: Climate Change Migration, Mitigation, and Cultural Preservation for Pacific Islanders
Abstract
This thesis examines the impact and response to climate change in nations in the Pacific region that can be classified as Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The nations that exist within the Pacific region are complex, as many of them still feel the impact in their Island of Western colonial powers and imperialism. These nations face issues of underdevelopment, in addition to climate change and climate-induced disasters. The scale of climate change threatens the existence of whole national societies and their cultural practices if preservation measures are not put into place. In order to provide a sufficient response to this vulnerable population living in the Pacific region, there is a need for the international community to respond in the form of both mitigation and migration measures, as they prepare for the inevitable future effects that climate change will have on this region.Two case studies, Vanuatu and the Marshall Islands demonstrate the need for these preservation and protection measures. Additionally, these cause studies prove there is a strong need to improve the current international laws to safeguard Pacific Islander communities and their respective cultural rights as they face the inevitable effects of climate change. The SIDS in the Pacific Ocean are suffering from the negative effects of climate change and require immediate international humanitarian assistance as they prepare for the unavoidable future effects that climate change will have on their unstable and vulnerable region and the deep culture that is imbedded within it. It is determined that an improved response must be multi-dimensional and needs to encompass mitigation and migration measures that are addressed through aid, as well as through the implementation of sufficient international legal framework.
Subject Area
Climate Change|Cultural anthropology|International law
Recommended Citation
Marshall, Aubrey Kathryn, "Sinking Islands: Climate Change Migration, Mitigation, and Cultural Preservation for Pacific Islanders" (2021). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI28717977.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI28717977
