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Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

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Peer-reviewed publication

Towards an Uncertain Future with No-Regrets: Community Decision-Making in the Face of Multiple Risks in Fiji

This dissertation aims to explore the ways in which values and decision-making processes are negotiated by communities when multiple risks are present. Specifically the no-regrets framework is reviewed as a flexible option in an uncertain climate. This study draws upon research in three villages in the Ba Watershed, Fiji (Navala, Votua and iTautoko). The results and discussion are based on insights from talanoa sessions, local people’s journal entries and my own observations. Findings suggest that there is a process of negotiating between various perceived risks, and prioritising action based on what is deemed the most significant risk at the time. The no-regrets framework is considered to be a potential adaptation framework that could be useful in weighing up the trade-offs between risks. However, it is argued in this dissertation that there are limitations when there is a high level of uncertainty in relation to climate change, and that this is exacerbated when multiple risks are present, as is the case in Fiji where risks include both cyclones and flooding.