Pacific peoples have had to contend with and adapt to a multiplicity of disruptive and destructive geological and extreme weather events for centuries. While temporary internal migration and displacement have featured as a response to the events in many instances, the current concern about the effects of climate change in the region has generated discussion about the extent to which future disasters or slow-onset environmental degradation will lead to increased cross-border mobility or displacement.
This research was commissioned to follow up on recommendations from the Nansen Initiative's Pacific Regional Consultation held in May 2013 which concluded that, while having to leave one's country was the least preferred option for Pacific peoples, cross-border mobility in the context of natural disasters and environmental degradation was a reality in the Pacific region which demanded that states begin to plan for movement now. It was recognized that voluntary migration abroad was only one way, within a set of broader policy options, to prevent future displacement and adapt to climate change.