Ogea Village [File Photo]

The Pacific region is the most vulnerable to natural hazards, cyclones, and floods that cause significant damage to developments.

UN Regional Representative, Heike Alefsen, says the impact of climate change triggers migration.

Alefsen adds that people are compelled to move in search of secure livelihoods and a better quality of life.

“In Fiji alone, 90% of all the population lives in coastal areas, and we have seen that they are very prone to flooding and cyclones, and often the housing has not been built in line with the conservation of climate risks, so there’s a need to move. Obviously, we want to make sure that this move is done with free, prior, and informed consent and is also in line with humanitarian and other principles.”

Alefsen says that recent studies have stated that more than 60% of people have migrated due to their fear of climate change and the effects of the nuclear legacy.

She adds that it is important to acknowledge the communities that are really at the forefront of climate action.

The Regional Representative says that to support these communities, the Pacific Island Forum and other crop agencies are working towards the 2050 Strategy for a Blue Pacific Continent.