Influence of socio-economic stressors on interpretations of climate change on Takuu Atoll, Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Low-lying South Pacific islands are widely reported by the media to be rendered imminently uninhabitable by the effects of anthropogenic climate change. Yet, there is often a stark contrast between what the media reports and what is occurring, or not occurring, on the ground. On Takuu Atoll, Papua New Guinea, socio-economic conditions, more than environmental ones, are presently at the forefront of concern and debate. The paper discusses the three main environmental changes observed by local residents, namely increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, shoreline erosion, and increasing salinisation of garden plots. It further explores how specific socio-economic conditions, such as high reliance on imported food, increased population mobility and lack of livelihood opportunities influence local interpretations of the information about climate change received from external sources.