Humanitarian Trends and Challenges for the Pacific Region

Abstract

The Pacific is a vast region made up of small islands and atolls that are at high risk from a range of natural disasters, including cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, droughts and bushfires. These frequent and recurrent hazards erode developmental gains and leave many small island developing states dependent on international assistance. At the same time, other risk factors are emerging, including the rapid increase of urban populations and corresponding challenges regarding service delivery, housing and employment for this growth segment of the Pacific population. This briefing report lays out some stark predictions for the Pacific and its future. There is high confidence that by 2030-2040 Pacific Island Countries and Territories will be threatened by the impacts of climate change, particularly the interaction of global sea level rises and increasingly severe weather events.