Difficult decisions: Migration from Small Island Developing States under climate change

The impacts of climate change on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are leading to discussions regarding decision-making about the potential need to migrate. Despite the situation being well-documented, with many SIDS aiming to raise the topic to prominence and to take action for them-selves, limited support and interest has been forthcoming from external sources. This paper presents, analyzes, and critiques a decision-making flowchart to support actions for SIDS dealing with climate change-linked migration. The flowchart contributes to identifying the pertinent topics to consider and the potential support needed to implement decision-making. The flowchart has significant limitations and there are topics which it cannot resolve. On-the ground considerations include who decides, finances, implements, monitors, and enforces each decision. Additionally, views within communities differ, hence mechanisms are needed for dealing with differences, while issues to address include moral and legal blame for any climate change-linked migration, the ultimate goal of the decision-making process, the wider role of migration in SIDS communities and the right to judge decision-making and decisions. The conclusions summarize the paper, emphasizing the importance of considering contexts beyond climate change and multiple SIDS voices

Disaster Risk Governance for Pacific Island Communities

This article examines disaster risk governance for island case studies, focusing on Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS). SIDS examples are used to examine two main areas in line with this special issue’s themes: power and knowledge in disaster risk governance. The interactions between those themes are explored for three SIDS governance scales: regional, national, and sub-national. Linking the theoretical discussion with empirical examples demonstrates how bypassing government can be suitable for disaster risk governance

Governmental duty of care for disaster-related science diplomacy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to present a first exploration of governmental duty of care towards scientists involved in science diplomacy by focusing on disaster research. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The method is a conceptual exploration, using specific case studies and potential scenarios within theories and practices of science diplomacy and duty of care, to raise questions and to suggest policy recommendations for government. The focus on disaster research links the analysis to disaster diplomacy, namely, how and why disaster-related activities (in this case, science) do and do not influence peace and conflict. FINDINGS: From examining case studies of, and outputs and outcomes from, disaster-related science diplomacy, governments need to consider duty of care issues in advance and develop a science diplomacy strategy, rather than responding after the fact or developing policy ad hoc. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Policy recommendations are provided to try to ensure that governments avoid simply reacting after a crisis, instead being ready for a situation before it arises and drawing on others’ experience to improve their own actions. SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Improved interaction between science and society is discussed in the context of diplomacy, especially for disaster-related activities. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Governmental duty of care has not before been applied to science diplomacy. The focus on disaster-related science further provides a comparatively new dimension for science diplomacy

Governance of climate change adaptation on Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

Climate change adaptation (CCA) is seen as being particularly important for one island region defined within international development: the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This chapter explores CCA governance for SIDS, both with and without government. All development activities are imbued with power relations, lessons which apply to CCA, which includes power relations among genders, ages, ethnicities, religions, sexualities, physical and mental abilities, subject disciplines, institutions and governance bodies. For CCA governance on SIDS, different degrees of conflict and cooperation are presented among the parties involved in different case studies. SIDS governments should not necessarily be blamed for any deficiencies in national governance due to the challenge of small-scale and limited resources. With some SIDS having populations in the tens of thousands, it is unrealistic to expect to find a civil servant conversant in every aspect of CCA; hence, the need for pooled governance as part of inter-SIDS cooperation

Arctic humanitarianism for post-disaster settlement and shelter

Purpose: This paper explores Arctic post-disaster situations by focusing on settlement and shelter in Arctic humanitarian contexts. Design/methodology/approach Principles of post-disaster settlement and shelter are examined for the Arctic and then for the case study of Svalbard, Norway. Findings: Established principles apply in the Arctic, but are not easy to implement. Limited practical experience exists, and some Arctic humanitarian situations require much more investigation to understand how to deal with the post-disaster settlement and shelter process. Originality/value: Setting an agenda for aspects of the principles and practices of Arctic humanitarianism

Ethically researching local impacts of environmental change without travel

Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in 2020, included local and international travel restrictions alongside limits on face-to-face gatherings. These measures impinged on participatory research examining local impacts of environmental change. In response, many researchers adopted techniques that could be implemented without travel. This article explores some of the consequent research ethics issues

The island as a political interstice

Islands are often defined with respect to their physicality, namely small pieces of land surrounded by water. One inherent assumption is that islands can be defined distinctly from other geographic entities, such as the often-presumed dichotomies of island-mainland and land-water. This vocabulary is imbued with political meaning, especially that the opposite of an island is apparently the “main land”. Island studies challenges these notions, reinterpreting them in contemporary political domains, with one framing being interstitiality. From this baseline and drawing on some political geography work, this paper argues that the interstitial island is principally a political construction. Islands are, or at minimum can be, multiple forms of interstices, but they are very much created as such—whether inadvertently, deliberately, or a combination—making the island a political interstice. This paper follows this line of reasoning by selecting two characteristics discussed in island studies and geography with respect to islandness: separation and connection. The result is to explore separation and connection as interstitial, demonstrating that politics infuses the discussions, conceptualisations, and practicalities of the interstitial island, although this situation is not necessarily detrimental. Philosophically and practically, many advantages result from constructing the island as a political interstice, suggesting that island interstitiality has far more political than physical value

Does Flooding Define the Aquapelago? Constructing Venice's flood disaster risk personality

Part of Venice’s character and appeal is sometimes constructed and construed as being not just about water, but also about the role which flood management plays, especially avoiding floods. A ‘disaster risk personality’ is created regarding water-land interaction, based mainly on avoiding inundation. This paper explores the construction of this approach for Venice’s flood disaster risk personality through a conceptual examination of Venice as an aquapelago to understand water-land links and separations. With this baseline, three decision-making lessons for Venice’s flood disaster risk personality are detailed: (i) the dynamicity of the water-land interface and hence the aquapelago, (ii) the impact of structural approaches on disaster risk personality, and (iii) the implications of submergence. While non-structural approaches to flood risk management tend to have the best long-term successes in averting flood disasters, Venice has chosen the opposite approach of constructing a large barrier, substantively changing its disaster risk personality. This choice is not inherently positive or negative, with the desirability and usefulness being subjective and based on the (flood) disaster risk personality sought for the locale

Categorising animals and habitats in disaster-related activities

A disaster is typically defined as a situation requiring external assistance, under the (contestable) assumption that the situation must affect people and society to be a disaster. Animals and their habitats are part of society and humans connect with them, so animals and their habitats are part of all disaster-related activities. This straightforward statement has produced divergent theories, policies and practices including challenges to categories, labels and divisions for humans and non-humans. This paper collates many practitioner aspects regarding animals and habitats in disaster-related activities. It assists in understanding and training for situations involving non-humans before, during and after a disaster. Five categories, sometimes overlapping, are provided of (non-human) animals and their habitats affected by disaster-related activities: companion animals, service animals, livelihood animals, captive animals and wildlife and wildland animals. Other aspects emerge about animals and habitats contributing to disasters and to disaster-related activities. Some ethical and practical issues are discussed regarding rights for, responsibilities of and disaster definitions relevant to dealing with animals during disasters