Description: Pacific Island societies are vulnerable to climate change and are already experiencing its environmental, economic, social, and political impacts. As Islanders adapt to the changing climate, they encounter challenges to economic security and social welfare, while increased rates of out migration have implications for culture and identity. Climate related transformations also raise legal questions about human rights and sovereignty. While much of the discussion to date has focused on the effects of climate change on the Pacific Islands, there are also implications for countries that provide development assistance or receive migrants. Hawai‘i, for example, is already home to significant numbers of islanders from other parts of the region. There is a need to understand the issues faced by these potential climate-change migrants and new host communities, and how they are engaging with this global phenomenon
Dates: April 4-6, 2013
Location:
Keynote speaker(s): The Honorable Tony deBrum Minister in Assistance to the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands
Sponsors/Co-sponsors: Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center; Senator J. Kalani English’s Office; the UH Mānoa’s Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge; Ethnic Studies Department; Student Equity, Excellence and Diversity (SEED); College of Social Sciences; and Department of English.
Convener: Tarcisius Tara Kabutaulaka
Videos of conference presentations are available online courtesy of Ōlelo
View the video recording of the keynote address by Honorable Tony de Brum