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Addressing unavoidable climate change loss and damage: A case study from Fiji’s sugar industry

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  • Moleen Monita Nand

    (The University of Adelaide)

  • Douglas K. Bardsley

    (The University of Adelaide)

  • Jungho Suh

    (The University of Adelaide)

Abstract

Climate change loss and damage (L&D) presents an existential threat to the Fiji Islands. This case study examines how rural Indo-Fijian sugarcane farming communities face challenges in minimising, averting, and addressing L&D from cyclones. In-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 68) were conducted with 40 sugarcane farmers in two Indo-Fijian sugarcane communities, Barotu and Toko settlements in Western Viti Levu, Fiji, and with 28 key stakeholders from government ministries, academia, and climate change response services. Despite implementing climate change adaptation measures, Fiji’s sugar industry has faced devastating L&D from frequent and severe cyclones. Much of the climate change L&D to crops, property, and income was irreversible and unavoidable. Non-economic loss and damage (NELD) was found insurmountable in both field sites, including the loss of homes and places of worship, cascading and flow-on effects as well as the heightening of uncertainty, fear, and trauma. Evidence suggests that L&D, including NELD, is highly context specific, and UNFCCC’s broad NELD categories do not fully capture L&D at the local level. The systematic documentation of L&D within vulnerable communities would improve understanding of L&D, including NELD, and assist to facilitate the mobilisation of immediate support and action to address L&D in countries that lack the capacities to respond independently. This paper recommends crucial policy interventions such as livelihood diversification, integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, land tenure policy reforms, and the operationalisation of the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage.

Suggested Citation

  • Moleen Monita Nand & Douglas K. Bardsley & Jungho Suh, 2023. "Addressing unavoidable climate change loss and damage: A case study from Fiji’s sugar industry," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(3), pages 1-20, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:176:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1007_s10584-023-03482-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-023-03482-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Seung Beom Seo & Hee Won Jee & Jaepil Cho & Chansung Oh & Yeora Chae & Sera Jo & Jina Hur, 2024. "Assessment of the flood damage reduction effect of climate change adaptation policies under temperature increase scenarios," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 1-22, January.
    2. Douwe Schie & Guy Jackson & Rawnak Jahan Khan Ranon & Afsara Binte Mirza & Md Fahad Hossain & Inès Bakhtaoui & Simon Anderson, 2024. "Addressing non-economic loss and damage: learning from autonomous responses in Bangladesh," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 177(8), pages 1-22, August.

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