Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands are rich in cultural and biological diversity. Photo: Payal Maharaj
Within the vastness of the Pacific Ocean lies a “sea of islands”. These islands are rich in cultural and biological diversity. Connections between Pacific Island peoples and the ocean are shaped from birth by the deep-rooted understanding that the sea is their home, a fundamental foundation of their lives and essential for their wellbeing.
With such a rich oceanscape the South Pacific region offers key lessons globally and significant issues for reflection and comparison with other regions in terms of ocean governance.
Initial work of the One Ocean Hub South Pacific region consisted of a contextual analysis grounding Hub research in the Pacific Islands of Fiji and Solomon Islands. A sequential process was used to co-identify challenges impacting human well-being at carefully selected local sites and to prioritize development issues as identified by the people of Fiji and the Solomon Islands. This permitted co-development of a transdisciplinary approach with stakeholders to ensure legitimacy of research endeavours, which will lead to benefits for communities reliant on the ocean and those empowered to safeguard it.
