Te Mana o te Moana The State of the Climate in the Pacific 2021

The Pacific region, and the Pacific island communities who depend on it for their livelihoods and culture, are facing some of the most severe climate impacts anywhere on earth. As inhabitants of predominantly low-lying islands, the people of the Pacific have seen rising sea levels and higher king tides flood coastal communities, eroding coastlines, raising water table salinity, and reducing crop yields and supplies of freshwater. Some communities have been forced to relocate due to rising sea levels, such as the Fijian village of Vunidogoloa, whose inhabitants had to move 2km inland in 2014. A further 830 vulnerable communities are listed for relocation in Fiji alone. This short report explores how climate change has impacted Pacific Island Countries, who is responsible, and what is needed to ensure that the people of the Pacific emerge stronger from the climate crisis.