Introduction

The South Pacific region, comprised of 30 independent nations, associated states, and dependent territories, spans approximately 800,000 square km with a population of 12.5 million whose lives are deeply intertwined with the land and sea. For the people of the South Pacific, climate change is not a distant threat but a harsh and immediate reality. Rising sea levels, saltwater intrusion, and extreme weather events are intensifying pressures on land systems, agriculture, fisheries, and physical security. Climate change directly impacts the lived experiences of women, and their ability to maintain livelihoods and ensure food security. Additionally, climate-induced displacement, resource scarcity, and lack of access to financing heighten the risk of gender-based violence and exacerbate barriers to women’s participation in decision making and their ability to develop and implement effective adaptation practices. These challenges underscore the need for gender-transformative and targeted interventions to build resilience and secure livelihoods in the face of growing climate challenges.

Climate Change Impacts

The South Pacific is particularly vulnerable because of its many low-lying islands and atolls, which are often only a few feet above sea level. Even though the islands in the Pacific are only responsible for some 0.02% of global greenhouse gas emissions, sea levels in the region have risen close to or nearly twice the global rate measured since 1993. Ocean acidification and increases in surface temperature, coastal flooding, and saltwater intrusion also threaten the livelihoods of South Pacific Islanders.

The South Pacific faces significant challenges in addressing climate change due to limited human and financial capital, compounded by a heavy reliance on international aid flows and remittances. Many nations have small, dispersed populations and their economies are heavily dependent on sectors vulnerable to climate change. Tourism is a primary industry, contributing as much as 30-40% of GDP while agriculture and fishing play central roles in the lives of rural and isolated populations. Climate-change-induced displacement is a growing concern, with the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre estimating that some 50,000 people displaced per year due to disasters, a number only expected to grow given increasingly erratic weather patterns.

In addition to impacts on the natural environment and national and local economies, climate change has profoundly negative effects on mental and physical well- being. Rising sea levels storm surges can lead to the contamination of water sources, and disruptions to agriculture and fisheries leads to food insecurity. Climate sensitive diseases such as malaria, cholera, and dengue are already on the rise. The mental toll is equally as severe, as uncertainty and fear around the future, cultures and traditions and the ever-present possibility of forced migration significantly impact mental health.

Key Findings

Climate change impacts in the South Pacific are profoundly gendered, disproportionately affecting women through ongoing economic marginalization and resource scarcity, displacement, lack of access to financing for adaptation, and heightened risks of gender-based violence.

Economic and Political Marginalization

Across the South Pacific, economies are predominately characterized by informal labour markets, where women are disproportionately employed. Jobs in the informal sector are associated with low and unstable employment, as well as underemployment, making women more vulnerable to economic shocks. This vulnerability is further exacerbated by climate change as many workers in the region are employed in sectors heavily affected by climate change, namely agriculture, fishing and tourism. In Papua New Guinea, for example, 81% of women are engaged in agriculture, hunting and forestry sectors.  Women’s political participation is notably low, with fewer than 20% of parliamentarians in the region being female, limiting the ability to influence policy decisions that affect their lives. Furthermore, land tenure and is often tied to customary laws and traditional practices, and while this system fosters strong communal ties, it can marginalize women who have a limited ability to own or control land making it difficult to secure resources and have the resources and finances to adapt to climate impacts.

Displacement and Gender-Based Violence

Figures indicate that women and children in the South Pacific experience some of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world with 60-80% of women experiencing violence in their lifetime. These risks are further exacerbated by climate related tensions such as competition over resources, household responsibilities, and displacement. While many countries have policies to eliminate domestic violence, and many countries are signatories to Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, gender departments at the national level are often under-resourced and have limited capacity.