Climate change is threatening to displace millions of people by the middle of this century, some of the most vulnerable countries being Small Island States (SISs) in the Pacific. Kiribati's historical 'Migration With Dignity' (MWD) relocation scheme has been abandoned as an official government strategy, replaced instead by an approach based on economic prosperity, climate change adaptation and mitigation. Through a human rights perspective aimed at securing the minimally good life for those affected by climate change, this article seeks to explore and contrast in detail the potentials and limitations of cross-border relocation with the new adaptation strategy, exemplified in the ongoing urban and land development project in Temaiku Bight on the capital island of South Tarawa. It further considers increased quotas for labour migration and the creation of humanitarian visas and argues that while adaptation and economic growth may bide some time and regional cross-border relocations give no precedent for best practice, the best solution is a combination of options which cannot exist in isolation. It sums up the numerous policy issues which as a minimum must be addressed for there to be any hope of migration and dignity for the people of Kiribati in the years to come.
Kupferberg, JS
Migration and dignity - relocation and adaptation in the face of climate change displacement in the Pacific - a human rights perspective
International Journal Of Human Rights