PhD thesis topic: Climate Crisis and External (Cross-Border) Mobility: The Nexus between Policy Implementation and Indigenous Knowledge in the Pacific
This research involves an exploratory research study of the interconnections between policy implementation and indigenous knowledge for climate-change affected populations in the Pacific region. This research will provide a critical analysis of concepts, theories, frameworks, perceptions, actions, policies and strategies on external mobility for addressing existential threats of the climate crisis that are significantly impacting the vulnerable populations in low lying atoll States such as Kiribati, the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI), and Tuvalu. It will focus on Tuvalu and will examine how the concept of external planned mobility policy could be approached through the lenses of indigenous knowledge and culture as a practical consideration to responding to the slow onset impacts of climate change. The research will examine how communities are currently being impacted by climate change, how the recent scientific projections confirm the alarming impacts of climate change, the extent to which external mobility could be considered as an adaptation option, and potential host countries that the climate change-affected populations could relocate to.
