IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/climat/v178y2025i7d10.1007_s10584-025-03972-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Climate change-induced relocation dilemma between preserving cultural heritage and embracing modern infrastructure: insights from Fijian coastal villages

Author

Listed:
  • Tsegaye T. Gatiso

    (Manaaki Whenua- Landcare Research)

  • Suzie Greenhalgh

    (Manaaki Whenua- Landcare Research)

  • Isoa Korovulavula

    (University of the South Pacific (USP))

  • Teddy Fong

    (University of the South Pacific (USP))

  • Ratu Pio Radikedike

    (University of the South Pacific (USP))

Abstract

The Pacific Island nation of Fiji, renowned for its cultural heritage, is facing unprecedented challenges due to climate change. Rising sea levels and extreme weather events are threatening Fiji's cultural heritage. Despite the profound significance of cultural heritage in Fiji, both international and national discussions on climate change-induced losses and damages tend to focus predominantly on economic aspects, often neglecting the cultural and social dimensions. To understand how local communities balance cultural heritage preservation and other socio-economic benefits, we employed the choice experiment technique combined with face- to-face interviews. Conducted in ten coastal villages, the research engaged 100 participants who evaluated 16 hypothetical relocation scenarios and rated the importance of different dimensions of cultural heritage. The findings revealed that cultural heritage emerged as a critical dimension of community life, with churches, fishing grounds, community ties, and place attachments being highly valued. The choice experiment results uncovered that there was a significant heterogeneity in participants' views, especially concerning the relocation of burial grounds. Improvement in infrastructure, particularly road connectivity, was consistently favoured, while the proximity of new villages to the old locations (i.e., place attachment) played a crucial role in relocation scenario selection. Participants were willing to accept relocation to distant locations if the relocation scenarios involve quality roads and/or a kindergarten. Intriguingly, participants demonstrated a willingness to contribute more labour under favourable relocation scenarios, which deviates from the conventional economic theory that postulates labour contributions create disutility. The willingness to contribute more labour in our experiment is likely driven by cultural norms and values surrounding communal labour and a strong desire for ownership of the newly established village. These insights underscore the need for holistic climate change adaptation strategies that are not only resilient but also culturally sensitive and community centric.

Suggested Citation

  • Tsegaye T. Gatiso & Suzie Greenhalgh & Isoa Korovulavula & Teddy Fong & Ratu Pio Radikedike, 2025. "Climate change-induced relocation dilemma between preserving cultural heritage and embracing modern infrastructure: insights from Fijian coastal villages," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(7), pages 1-24, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:178:y:2025:i:7:d:10.1007_s10584-025-03972-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-025-03972-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10584-025-03972-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10584-025-03972-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lancsar, Emily & Louviere, Jordan & Donaldson, Cam & Currie, Gillian & Burgess, Leonie, 2013. "Best worst discrete choice experiments in health: Methods and an application," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 74-82.
    2. Esther Bekker-Grob & Bas Donkers & Marcel Jonker & Elly Stolk, 2015. "Sample Size Requirements for Discrete-Choice Experiments in Healthcare: a Practical Guide," The Patient: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Springer;International Academy of Health Preference Research, vol. 8(5), pages 373-384, October.
    3. Bliemer, Michiel C.J. & Rose, John M. & Hensher, David A., 2009. "Efficient stated choice experiments for estimating nested logit models," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 19-35, January.
    4. Celia McMichael & Teresia Powell, 2021. "Planned Relocation and Health: A Case Study from Fiji," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-17, April.
    5. Kelvin J. Lancaster, 1966. "A New Approach to Consumer Theory," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 74(2), pages 132-132.
    6. Joan L. Walker & Yanqiao Wang & Mikkel Thorhauge & Moshe Ben-Akiva, 2018. "D-efficient or deficient? A robustness analysis of stated choice experimental designs," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 84(2), pages 215-238, March.
    7. Sarrias, Mauricio, 2016. "Discrete Choice Models with Random Parameters in R: The Rchoice Package," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 74(i10).
    8. Sandra Fatorić & Erin Seekamp, 2017. "Are cultural heritage and resources threatened by climate change? A systematic literature review," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 142(1), pages 227-254, May.
    9. Emily Lancsar & Denzil G. Fiebig & Arne Risa Hole, 2017. "Discrete Choice Experiments: A Guide to Model Specification, Estimation and Software," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 35(7), pages 697-716, July.
    10. Morrissey, Karyn & Plater, Andrew & Dean, Mary, 2018. "The cost of electric power outages in the residential sector: A willingness to pay approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 141-150.
    11. Steckel, Joel H & Vanhonacker, Wilfried R, 1988. "A Heterogeneous Conditional Logit Model of Choice," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 6(3), pages 391-398, July.
    12. Amanda Bertana, 2020. "The role of power in community participation: Relocation as climate change adaptation in Fiji," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 38(5), pages 902-919, August.
    13. Giergiczny, Marek & Valasiuk, Sviataslau & Czajkowski, Mikolaj & De Salvo, Maria & Signorello, Giovanni, 2012. "Including cost income ratio into utility function as a way of dealing with ‘exploding’ implicit prices in mixed logit models," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 370-380.
    14. J. M. Gibson & D. Rigby & D. A. Polya & N. Russell, 2016. "Discrete Choice Experiments in Developing Countries: Willingness to Pay Versus Willingness to Work," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 65(4), pages 697-721, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Genie, Mesfin G. & Nicoló, Antonio & Pasini, Giacomo, 2020. "The role of heterogeneity of patients’ preferences in kidney transplantation," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    2. Geržinič, Nejc & van Cranenburgh, Sander & Cats, Oded & Lancsar, Emily & Chorus, Caspar, 2021. "Estimating decision rule differences between ‘best’ and ‘worst’ choices in a sequential best worst discrete choice experiment," Journal of choice modelling, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    3. Leonardo Cei & Edi Defrancesco & Paola Gatto & Francesco Pagliacci, 2023. "Pay more for me, I’m from the mountains! The role of the EU Mountain Product term and other credence attributes in consumers’ valuation of lamb meat," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-21, December.
    4. Galárraga, Omar & Kuo, Caroline & Mtukushe, Bulelwa & Maughan-Brown, Brendan & Harrison, Abigail & Hoare, Jackie, 2020. "iSAY (incentives for South African youth): Stated preferences of young people living with HIV," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    5. Genie, Mesfin G. & Ryan, Mandy & Krucien, Nicolas, 2021. "To pay or not to pay? Cost information processing in the valuation of publicly funded healthcare," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    6. Aleksandra Torbica & Carla Rognoni & Rosanna Tarricone, 2021. "Investigating Patients’ Preferences to Inform Drug Development Decisions: Novel Insights from a Discrete Choice Experiment in Migraine," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-18, May.
    7. van Cranenburgh, Sander & Bliemer, Michiel C.J., 2019. "Information theoretic-based sampling of observations," Journal of choice modelling, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 181-197.
    8. Faulques, Martin & Bonnet, Jean & Bourdin, Sébastien & Juge, Marine & Pigeon, Jonas & Richard, Charlotte, 2022. "Generational effect and territorial distributive justice, the two main drivers for willingness to pay for renewable energies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    9. Tiziano Tempesta & Daniel Vecchiato, 2019. "Analysis of the Factors that Influence Olive Oil Demand in the Veneto Region (Italy)," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-17, July.
    10. Dunsch, Felipe Alexander & Velenyi, Edit, 2019. "Job Preferences of Frontline Health Workers in Ghana - A Discrete Choice Experiment," SocArXiv bqx5k, Center for Open Science.
    11. Burns, J.G. & Glenk, K. & Eory, V. & Simm, G. & Wall, E., 2021. "Preferences of European dairy stakeholders in breeding for resilient and efficient cattle: a Best-Worst Scaling approach," 95th Annual Conference, March 29-30, 2021, Warwick, UK (Hybrid) 311092, Agricultural Economics Society - AES.
    12. Rajesh K. Rai & Mani Nepal & Laxmi D. Bhatta & Saudamini Das & Madan S. Khadayat & E. Somanathan & Kedar Baral, 2019. "Ensuring Water Availability to Water Users through Incentive Payment for Ecosystem Services Scheme: A Case Study in a Small Hilly Town of Nepal," Water Economics and Policy (WEP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 5(04), pages 1-26, October.
    13. Epstein, D.S. & Barton, C. & Mazza, D. & Woode, M.E. & Mortimer, D., 2020. "Patient chosen gap payments in primary care: Predictions of patient acceptability, uptake and willingness to pay from a discrete choice experiment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 263(C).
    14. Ermias Tesfaye Teferi & Tigist Damtew Worku & Solomon Bizuayehu Wassie & Bernd Muller & Abdul-Rahim Abdulai & Céline Termote, 2024. "Heterogeneities in Farmers’ Preference for Advisory Services: A Choice Experiment of Vegetable Growers in North-Western Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-15, December.
    15. repec:osf:socarx:bqx5k_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Ana I. Sanjuán‐López & Helena Resano‐Ezcaray, 2020. "Labels for a Local Food Speciality Product: The Case of Saffron," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 71(3), pages 778-797, September.
    17. Lydia Chikumbi & Milan Scasny, 2022. "Does 'price framing' influence empirical estimates in Discrete Choice Experiments: The case study for the South African wine industry," ERSA Working Paper Series, Economic Research Southern Africa, vol. 0.
    18. Antonini, Marcello & Genie, Mesfin G. & Attwell, Katie & Attema, Arthur E. & Ward, Jeremy K. & Melegaro, Alessia & Torbica, Aleksandra & Kelly, Brian & Berardi, Chiara & Sequeira, Ana Rita & McGregor,, 2025. "Are we ready for the next pandemic? Public preferences and trade-offs between vaccine characteristics and societal restrictions across 21 countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 366(C).
    19. Bougherara, Douadia & Lapierre, Margaux & Préget, Raphaële & Sauquet, Alexandre, 2021. "Do farmers prefer increasing, decreasing, or stable payments in Agri-environmental schemes?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    20. Margaret Aksoy-Pierson & Gad Allon & Awi Federgruen, 2013. "Price Competition Under Mixed Multinomial Logit Demand Functions," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(8), pages 1817-1835, August.
    21. Nthambi, Mary & Wätzold, Frank & Markova-Nenova, Nonka, 2018. "Quantifying benefit losses from poor governance of climate change adaptation projects: A discrete choice experiment with farmers in Kenya," MPRA Paper 94678, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:178:y:2025:i:7:d:10.1007_s10584-025-03972-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.