The Kingdom of Tonga, situated along the South Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire,” is exceptionally vulnerable to natural disasters including earthquakes, cyclones, floods, and volcanic eruptions. So much so that the 2018 WorldRiskIndex ranked Tonga as the second most disaster-prone country of the 172 covered by the Index. Additionnally, given… read more
Learning Exchange: How Collaboration Can Facilitate Adaptation
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme began a five year initiative titled the Pacific Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change Project (PEBACC). This initiative includes the governments of Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu and through this project, these governments are able to collaborate with one another as well as… read more
Disaster Risk Reduction: How big data plays a role in its ambiguity
Our team had the intent to investigate the true state of Oceania’s Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) efforts. But what seems like a clear topic, quickly turned into a complex web of strategies, policies, and programs that all relate to DRR in some form or another. The problem of trying to… read more
Moving Towards Resiliency: Locating Informal Settlements in Oceania
Informal settlements are growing throughout the world. Their exact locations and populations are difficult to determine, however, given their inherently spontaneous and sporadic nature. Informal settlements are also uniquely vulnerable to environmental hazards, as they often consist of poor quality, semi-permanent structures on marginal land and have limited access to… read more
Comment dit-on le “climate change” en Français? (3/3)
(This blog post completes my three-part series on France’s role as a stakeholder in our considerations of grand strategy. You can find part 1 here and part 2 here.) What are the French stakes in disaster risk reduction in Oceania? And how does the French role influence the United State’s… read more
The Case of Many Indices – A Study of Disaster Risk Reduction Indices
We live in an age of information. Every day, we are collecting even more data that gives us more insight, and when combined with the modern computation power, helps us improve our understanding of our world. Indices leverage this information to standardize previous measurements, and in some cases, even measure… read more
Room to Step-Up: Australia’s Bid to Maintain Influence in Oceania (1/2)
As China becomes increasingly assertive in Oceania, Australia seeks to reinforce and strengthen ties with its Pacific neighbors. However, its success in reengaging the Pacific will depend on its willingness to step up on climate issues. Australia has long been perhaps the preeminent partner to the Pacific. It is the… read more
When is a refugee not a refugee?: ‘Climate migrants’ in Oceania
Climate change is reshaping Oceania. Rising sea levels are physically changing the boundaries of island nations, rendering some coastal areas uninhabitable and leading to saltwater contamination of freshwater resources. Increasing ocean temperatures are causing fundamental shifts in fisheries’ food webs, with consequences for both sustenance and the economic livelihoods of… read more
Heading to higher ground: Uncertainty in elevation data and sea level rise can under predict affected populations
One of the most visible threats to Oceania is sea level rise. Rightly so, as the Pacific Community (SPC) has estimated that the vast majority of people living in Oceania live within 1 kilometer of the coastline. What can seem as a simple calculation of determining what percentage of a… read more
Disease Outbreak Pt. 1: What Climate Disaster Means for Disease Outbreak
In many climate disaster related conversations, there is a villain that often flies under the radar. Communicable diseases are not at the forefront of climate change discussions. Island shores disappearing, dwindling water supplies, intense storms, air quality, and pollution all occupy disproportionately loud voices in the climate change conversation. Even… read more