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Adaptation to Climate Change: Contemporary Challenges and Perspectives

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Climate Change and Impacts in the Pacific

Part of the book series: Springer Climate ((SPCL))

Abstract

Over the past few decades, attempts at adaptation to climate change (current and future) in the Pacific Islands have largely failed to be either effective or sustained. Among the many reasons for this failure may be that most adaptation strategies have been designed and driven by outsiders rather than by persons familiar with island contexts and diversity, especially the sociocultural nuances of particular situations. In a series of eight thematic case studies, written by scientists with an intimate understanding of the Pacific Islands, this chapter explores the reasons behind adaptation failure and explains what needs to improve in the future for adaptation to be both effective and sustained. Case studies focus on rural seawalls, relocation and peripherality as a proxy for autonomous community coping, climate finance, island food systems, adaptation project design, livelihood sustainability and inter-island resettlement. The goal of this chapter is to inform stakeholders how to optimise outcomes from future adaptation interventions, something that is becoming daily more urgent as the pace of twenty-first century climate change increases.

Manasa Katonivualiku was deceased at the time of publication.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Joint National Action Plans are being implemented in the Pacific to fulfill the requirement of the UNFCCC Cancun Adaptation Framework to develop National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). Joint National Action Plans have been created in Tonga, the Cook Islands, Fiji and Niue. Joint National Action Plans are underway in several other Pacific Island countries.

  2. 2.

    Today referred to as I-Kiribati.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD, Australia

    Patrick D. Nunn & Roselyn Kumar

  2. School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences, University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    Roger McLean

  3. University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Annika Dean

  4. University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji

    Teddy Fong, Isoa Korovulavula & Tammy Tabe

  5. Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji

    Viliamu Iese

  6. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand

    Manasa Katonivualiku

  7. SciencePo, Paris, France

    Carola Klöck

Authors
  1. Patrick D. Nunn
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  2. Roger McLean
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  3. Annika Dean
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  4. Teddy Fong
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  5. Viliamu Iese
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  6. Manasa Katonivualiku
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  7. Carola Klöck
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  8. Isoa Korovulavula
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  9. Roselyn Kumar
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  10. Tammy Tabe
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrick D. Nunn .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia

    Lalit Kumar

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Nunn, P.D. et al. (2020). Adaptation to Climate Change: Contemporary Challenges and Perspectives. In: Kumar, L. (eds) Climate Change and Impacts in the Pacific. Springer Climate. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32878-8_14

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