Melanie L Harris

The impacts of climate change, particularly sea-level rise, have been identified as among the greatest threats to rural subsistence-oriented Pacific Island communities. The potential negative impacts include damage to infrastructure, shoreline erosion, soil salinisation, and a reduction in the productivity of coastal ecosystems. These factors undermine food security for many people following subsistence lifestyles in the region. Most previous interventions aimed at reducing the impacts of climate change in coastal Pacific Island communities have failed to achieve the desired results and, in some cases, have even increased their vulnerability. Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), such as mangrove restoration, represents a long-term approach to reducing the impacts of climate change and enhancing ecosystem services by increasing biodiversity and reducing shoreline erosion. This research addresses literature gaps in the processes and outcomes of Pacific Island community-based mangrove restoration projects of local ecosystems. Understanding communities’ perceptions of climate change, coastal resource commercialization, and associated risks aids in documenting and replicating similar projects. A combination of methods was used to collect qualitative data from the five selected case study villages on Vanua Levu Island, Fiji: Talanoa-style group discussions with community members and observations of the mangrove restoration sites and seawalls. Identifying and addressing the opportunities and challenges of EbA in communities is an essential step towards building autonomous adaptive capacity for Pacific Island people. This research finds that while communities possess the capacity to implement EbA, they may benefit from support and guidance in planning, monitoring and evaluation of projects, as EbA is largely out of the scope of traditional resource management practices. Additionally, streamlining the integration of global scientific knowledge with traditional and local knowledge (TLK) may be beneficial for the sustainability of EbA projects while fostering community engagement and support, both factors that influence project success. Communities identified the need for increased local and regional-level support in contemporary resource management, which would also positively contribute towards an EbA project. Communication and compliance with COVID-19 restrictions by the case study communities presented an opportunity to reassess the management of coastal resources to complement EbA initiatives. This research concludes that nature-based solutions (NbS), such as EbA, are an optimal approach to adaptation for rural Fijian coastal communities facing the challenges of sea-level rise and may provide lessons for the wider Pacific Islands region. However, EbA is part of an overarching adaptation strategy or hybrid approach that may need to include built structures or plans of relocation. Over time, EbA is a more cost-effective and sustainable approach than built structures, like seawalls, and the increase in ecosystem productivity resulting from an EbA project contributes to food security and income for the community. Notably, EbA projects need to be nuanced to suit each community and the local environment as what has worked in one location may not be suitable for another. The outcomes from this research may assist policy-makers in adaptation planning across all levels of governance. The findings of this research are of paramount importance because delaying action may limit available options, particularly as the climate becomes increasingly unstable and ecosystems further degraded.