Climate change forced these Fijian communities to move – and with 80 more at risk, here's what they learned
The original Fijian village of Vunidogoloa is abandoned. Houses, now dilapidated, remain overgrown with vegetation.
Low lying coastal communities like these are especially vulnerable to threats of sea-level rise, inundation of tides, increased intensity of storm surges and coastal erosion. Extreme, sudden weather events such as cyclones can also force communities to move, particularly in the tropics.It involves providing the right conditions for people to rebuild the lives they knew, such as equitable access to resources and services, social capital and community infrastructure.
The relocation was originally set for 2012 but, after delays, the entire village moved roughly 1.5km inland two years later. This is often recognised as the first-ever village in Fiji to relocate from climate change.In contrast to Vunidogoloa, Denimanu experienced sudden onset effects of climate change.
We were so fearful because of the tides living at the old site. We were happy to move away from that fear. But it’s not all good news. While new housing was built for the community, they were built to a poor standard, with leaking through the doors and walls, especially in periods of high rainfall. Fiji is located in the tropics, so these infrastructure problems are likely to get worse.
While relocating communities to safer, less exposed areas is one option to help people manage climate hazards, it’s not a viable solution for all those affected.
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