For Pacific Islands, climate change trumps all other threats to their security. While they welcome Australia’s new emission targets, this is an issue of survival that demands greater ambition.
While Australia worries about Chinese influence, Pacific nations are more worried about climate change. By boosting climate ambition, Australia could be the region’s security partner of choice.
Despite losing jobs, many Fijians in tourism-dependent areas reported greater well-being during the pandemic. As tourists return, what are the lessons?
As Fiji did after 2016’s catastrophic cyclone, Tonga will likely face challenges with building materials and costs, and low levels of technical expertise. But these can be overcome.
In Fiji, 95% of adults have received one jab and 80% are fully vaccinated. In PNG, however, less than 1% of the population is fully vaccinated – and the country is giving away its vaccines.
Desperate for visitors to return, tourism-reliant Pacific nations are racing to re-open borders before Christmas. But will tourists feel safe enough to travel?
Having been protected by geography early in the pandemic, Pacific nations are now battling serious outbreaks and struggling to get their people vaccinated.
A fan at the All Blacks v Fiji test match in New Zealand, July 17.
GettyImages
With COVID-19 surging and the state resisting a lockdown, Fijians turn to ‘solesolevaki’ — working together for a common cause — to fill the gaps.
Despite Nepal struggling with high case numbers, many people defied lockdown to attend the Rato Machindranath Jatra chariot festival in mid-May.
Narendra Shrestha/EPA-EFE
Low levels of immunity and high levels of mixing are a perfect setting for the next big outbreak.
Fiji’s capital went into lockdown after the Indian variant of the coronavirus leaked out of a quarantine facility.
Photo by LEON LORD/AFP via Getty Images
Research reveals a desire by Pacific tourism workers for genuine change once travel starts again, including better wages and conditions and greater local control of operations.
Pacific communities have always been resilient, surviving on islands in the middle of oceans for more than 3,000 years. But climate change is an unprecedented challenge.
Pressure is growing to include struggling Pacific nations in an Australia-New Zealand travel bubble, but economic diversity is what the region really needs.
Wherever and whenever ghost stories materialise, they tend to tap into the things we fear most.
While most Fijian settlement is coastal, new research into mountain settlements can teach us about this country pre-colonisation. Pictured is the Seseleka hill fort, 420 metres above sea level.
Patrick Nunn
New research casts light on the pre-colonial mountain settlements in Fiji.
Pacific leaders don’t want to talk about China’s rising influence – they want Scott Morrison to make a firm commitment to cut Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that Australia’s inability – or refusal – to take firmer action on climate change is undermining its entire ‘Pacific step-up’.
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University