Weber, Eberhard and Kopf, Andreas (2025) COVID-19, Climate, and Environmental Change in Fiji. In: COVID-19: Impacts on Health and Health Systems. Springer Nature, Switzerland, pp. 23-47. ISBN 978-3-031-90254-3
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It is four years since reports of a mysterious disease from China were received first with interest, but soon with uncertainty and fear throughout the rest of the world. At the end of January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a "public health emergency of international concern". In mid-February 2020, the first person infected with the new SARS-CoV-2 died in France, the first death outside Asia. From March 2020, measures were taken worldwide to contain the spread of the novel disease. Strict quarantine measures such as curfews, contact restrictions, school closures and travel restrictions, and associated severe restrictions on international travel were at the forefront of the measures introduced. Publications of various kinds have since appeared on the COVID-19 pandemic. The search term "COVID-19" yields more than 5.3 million hits in a Google Scholar search. This chapter deals with the impact of COVID-19 on Fiji, a Small Island Developing State in the Pacific Islands region. Fiji has had to cope with the impacts of natural hazards for as long as people remember. In recent years the dangers of worsening climate change have made societal action indispensable. In early 2020 another threat was added, which pushed climate change into the background for some time. The chapter also focuses on impacts of COVID-19 on Fiji’s health system and has caused significant morbidity and mortality in Fiji. Individuals deferred routine and non-urgent treatments due to lockdowns and fear of contracting the virus, leading to chronic illnesses and late diagnoses of serious conditions. At the beginning of the pandemic hospitals had shortages of essential supplies, such as ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE), and ICU beds. COVID-19 tests had to be sent to Australia. Despite many challenges COVID-19 led to the upgrade of health facilities,experience, and skills. Fiji might be better prepared to face future health challenges. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the environment have been highlighted from a wide variety of perspectives. Two of these perspectives stand out: (1) COVID-19 impacts on the global economy, global exchange of goods, and people. Among many negative impacts, it also had positive effects on the environment. (2) At the same time, several authors highlighted that environmental factors influenced the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through various factors. For Fiji declining economic activities, significantly reduced mobility and a considerable reduction in tourism led to lower energy consumption and therefore lower emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHG) (Mishra et al. 2022).
| Item Type: | Book Chapter |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology R Medicine > RZ Other systems of medicine |
| Divisions: | School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences (SAGEONS) School of Law and Social Sciences (SoLaSS) |
| Depositing User: | Eberhard Weber |
| Date Deposited: | 27 Nov 2025 22:23 |
| Last Modified: | 27 Nov 2025 22:23 |
| URI: | https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/15140 |
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