Adapting coastal cities and territories to sea level rise in the Pacific: Challenges and leading practices

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Introduction

Pacific Island Countries and Territories face severe risks from sea level rise (SLR) despite contributing little to global greenhouse gas emissions. Without significant emissions reductions, sea levels could rise by up to 1.01 meters by 2100, threatening populations largely concentrated along coastlines with land loss, acute erosion, extreme weather, infrastructure damage, and loss of livelihoods and cultural identity.

Though the region has long worked to adapt, efforts are hindered by limited resources, data gaps, and reliance on external aid. Pacific cities and territories need ambitious, innovative strategies that strengthen regional cooperation and focus on long-term solutions integrating socio-economic priorities. Effective adaptation can mitigate SLR impacts while promoting sustainable development and well-being.

Three key topics are addressed in the following sections:

1. Increasing understanding of SLR issues and adaptation knowledge is critical and requires substantial investments in scientific research, applied projects, and indigenous, traditional, and local knowledge, as well as networks and partnerships to enable mutual learning and knowledge sharing.  
2. Adaptation strategies should be led by local actors to better account for socioeconomic, cultural, and customary realities and coordinated across neighbouring localities to maximise the effectiveness and sustainability of coastal adaptation. 
3. Through dynamic and adaptive planning, emergency needs in the face of coastal hazards can be reconciled with the need for long-term adaptation to SLR. This shift in planning approaches involves increased regional and international cooperation and the use of locally appropriate solutions, such as Nature-based Solutions for adaptation. 

Seven boxes and three case studies provide examples of inspiring regional practices.

Methodology

This report draws on discussions held during the Sea’ties workshop “Adapting coastal cities and territories to sea level rise in the Pacific”, held on July 10-12, 2023, in Nadi, Fiji, complemented by 12 individual interviews.

The workshop, organised by the Sea’ties initiative of the Ocean & Climate Platform in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC), mobilized over 55 stakeholders from 16 Pacific countries. 

Key messages

1. Advancing knowledge to inform coastal adaptation strategies while operating with limited resources is key.

• Substantial investment is needed across multiple research areas to improve understanding of ocean and coastal dynamics at regional and local levels and available adaptation responses. This involves increased support for training researchers in the region, greater recognition of their work, and enhanced funding for locally driven projects. Meanwhile, cross-training between local and international experts is important to devise effective Pacific-based adaptation.
• Indigenous, traditional, and local knowledge is relevant to coastal monitoring and must be used to guide decision-making on the most appropriate solutions. Its proper use requires equitable opportunities for knowledge co-production and the participation of all relevant actors in decision-making as equal partners.
• Documenting adaptation projects and sharing experiences between coastal cities and all stakeholders involved in the region can contribute to accelerating knowledge production and uptake.

2. Delivering locally-led adaptation, coordinated at the regional level 

• Locally led adaptation is more likely to deliver long-term and no-regrets strategies. This approach can be in line with traditional practices and systems, such as land tenure systems, and can be better supported by the population. It entails the attribution of decisional power and resource management to local authorities while external agencies and government authorities play supporting and empowering roles.
• Women possess essential skills, knowledge, and experience that make them powerful agents of change. Embedding gender dimensions into adaptation planning and placing women in leadership positions are critical in reducing vulnerabilities and delivering equitable solutions.
• Planning for adaptation holistically and in collaboration with neighbouring cities, territories, or islands, as appropriate, can expand the range of available solutions and provide the opportunity to address several priorities in synergy.
• Depending on local situations, customary land tenure systems and kinship networks can be seen either as obstacles or levers for coastal adaptation, including the conduct of transformative action such as relocation. They cover a range of key issues in designing and implementing adaptation strategies and can reach greater acceptance as they enable the sustenance of desired livelihoods.

3. Planning for long-term adaptation while preparing for immediate threats

• Dynamic and adaptive strategies facilitate the implementation of adaptation measures across space and time to address urgent needs with immediate and transitional measures and longer-term needs with transformative solutions.
• Regional and international cooperation is needed to bridge gaps in knowledge, technical, and institutional capacity. Clear regional guidelines and enhanced peer learning can support the shift from recovery action to long-term planning required to effectively adapt coastal cities and territories to coastal hazards and sea level rise.
• Ecosystem-based adaptation involves protecting, sustainably managing, or restoring coastal and marine ecosystems. Their cost-effectiveness, suitability for Pacific coastal cities, and the co-benefits they provide to local populations can make them ideally suited to dynamic and adaptive planning.

Suggested citation

Ocean & Climate Platform. (2024). Adapting Coastal Cities and Territories to Sea Level Rise in the Pacific: Challenges and Leading Practices. Ocean & Climate Platform. 48 pp.