Background
This case study, shared by Dr Olivia Yates, is based on her PhD research (1), a resulting policy brief (2) and a peer-reviewed research article (3) co-authored by a team at the University of Auckland, documenting Tuvaluan and Kiribati migration journeys to Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) in the context of climate change and the wellbeing implications of climate mobility.
A systematic review (4) examining the psychosocial and cultural impacts of Pacific climate-related mobility conducted by Dr Yates found that only 3 out of 31 studies considered Pacific methodologies in their research design, reflecting a bias towards Eurocentric research paradigms and resulting in a lack of understanding of climate mobility from Pacific, relational perspectives of wellbeing. Alongside an appeal for Pacific-centred approaches, there is a push for more evidence-informed climate-related migration policies.
Tuvalu and Kiribati are two Pacific island nations that consist of low-lying atolls and coral islands deemed to be “on the extreme frontlines of the global climate emergency” according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Climate change is already impacting Tuvalu and Kiribati through sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, more frequent extreme weather events and reduced food and water security.
While most people do not want to leave their ancestral lands, some are travelling to other countries to secure their futures. Aotearoa NZ is the most likely destination for climate migrants because of its geographic proximity and long-standing – albeit fraught – relationships with the Pacific.
Climate migration policies
There are currently no legally binding frameworks that support international climate migration. Similarly, in Aotearoa NZ, no immigration policies directly permit climate mobility. Government progress on the topic currently also does not consider climate justice or the place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (1840). This means that Tuvaluans and I-Kiribati who wish to migrate must do so with neither the support of the New Zealand government nor their home country.