Pacific Island Countries and Territories have been exposed to many disturbances associated with climate change-related environmental transformations. Pacific Island people’s adaptability, extended kin-based networks, and family-oriented social structures that provide access to land, natural resources and remittances have been significant strategies for survival in a multi-risk environment. Being able to move from one place to another, in particular, has been a crucial livelihood strategy in the face of various internal and external pressures, including climate change. Therefore, understanding Pacific Island people’s mobility patterns is imperative to develop policies that help enhance their climate resilience.

This policy brief summarises the findings from Samoan villages that demonstrate how micro-mobility strategies, such as small-scale and temporary movements, can enable communities to remain in place despite increased risks from accelerating climatic changes and associated impacts.