Envisioning South-South relations and development in the fields of environmental change and migration

Weber, Eberhard (2014) Envisioning South-South relations and development in the fields of environmental change and migration. UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

Climate change poses severe threats to developing countries. Scientists predict entire states (e.g. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Maldives) will become inhabitable and people living in these states have to resettle to other countries. Media and politicians warn that climate change will trigger migration flows in dimensions unknown to date. It is feared that millions from developing countries overwhelm developed societies and increase pressures on anyway ailing social support systems destabilizing societies and becoming a potential source of conflict.
Inhabitants of Pacific Islands have been mobile since the islands were first settled not longer than 3,500 years ago. Since then people moved around, expanded their reach, and traded with neighbouring tribes (and later countries). With the event of European powers starting in the 15th century and dominating changes of Pacific Island societies after the beginning of the 19th century independent mobility became restricted. From the second half of the 19th century movements of people predominately served economic interests of colonial powers, in particular a huge colonial appetite for labour. After independence of Pacific Island countries, which started in the 1960s and has still to be completed, mobility of people continued to serve economic interest of metropolitan countries at the rim of the Pacific Ocean.
If climate change resettlements become necessary in big numbers then there should be no need for Pacific Islanders to become climate change refugees. To solve the challenges within Pacific Island societies as a sign of Pan-Pacific Island solidarity and South-South cooperation will result in a reduction of dependencies which would emerge if metropolitan powers would be entrusted to provide the homes for homeless Pacific Islanders.

Item Type:	Other
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Pacific Islands, environmental change, migration, South-South Cooperation
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General) G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography J Political Science > JV Colonies and colonization. Emigration and immigration. International migration
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) > School of Geography, Earth Science and Environment
Depositing User:	Eberhard Weber
Date Deposited:	22 Dec 2014 00:53
Last Modified:	27 May 2016 02:28
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/7782

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