The Pacific has more in common with Ireland than people would think. Besides the hot sunny weather and abundance of coconut palm trees, the friendly people and strong sense of community are very similar.
What brought a woman from Cape Clear Island in West Cork to the tropical island nation of Fiji is a question I often get from people with confused faces. To put it simply, I wanted to see and experience for myself the effect climate change has on the Pacific Islands.
I moved to Fiji in November 2022 to work for the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office as their Climate Change Officer. My role focuses on climate change, food systems and youth. During my time here, I have been exposed to many areas of development and have, of course, seen first-hand the impact of rising sea levels and changing weather patterns.
Suva, the largest city in the Pacific and the capital of Fiji where I live, has a relaxed atmosphere and I’ve enjoyed the slower pace of life here after living in London.
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Most people think I’m living on the Instagram side of Fiji with tropical, sandy beaches but, in reality, Suva is a typical city with traffic jams, markets and a busy fishing port. To my surprise, the closest beach to Suva is an hour’s drive away in Pacific Harbour.
The biggest change for me has been the weather. It is more than 30 degrees and there is very high humidity every day. Unlike at home in Ireland, there is not much change in seasons, we just have the cyclone/wet season and the cooler dry season.
Travelling around Fiji I have realised how lucky I am to be surrounded by so many amazing coral reefs. The warm sea temperature is a nice change to the cold Atlantic around Cape Clear. The marine biodiversity here is like nothing we have in Ireland.
The reality of how vulnerable the Pacific is to extreme weather is never too far away. When I have been snorkelling above the most colourful coral reefs, I too often come across bleached corals, which are dead or damaged. This is as a result of more frequent cyclones and natural disasters.
Although, thankfully since arriving I have not experienced any major cyclones in Fiji. This is unlike Vanuatu, a neighbouring Pacific Island country, which experienced two cyclones in less than 72 hours in March, which put us all on high alert.
The highlight of my time in the Pacific so far has been going on a UN mission to Tuvalu.
A small Island nation halfway between Hawaii and Australia,, Tuvalu is just a three-hour flight from Fiji and is made up of nine small atoll and reef islands, creating a unique and vulnerable landscape.
It is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels. The highest point above sea level was 4.5 metres (the height of a double-decker bus). Ireland’s highest point is over 1,000 metres! An atoll is a ring-shaped piece of land with a lagoon centre and coral ring while a reef island’s land consists of coral, rock and sand.
Walking around Funafuti, the capital, was surreal. I have had a “connection” with it since I focused much of my studies on the country’s climate vulnerabilities during my undergrad in UCC, where I studied International Development and Food Policy.
Tuvalu is a unique place, being one of the world’s most remote and least-visited countries. There are only three flights into the country a week direct from Suva, Fiji. Outside of the flight times, the runway in Funafuti is used as a multipurpose social space with roads weaving in and around it.
The people here were so welcoming and friendly. I even met a local man who had been to Cork while working on cargo ships. You’ll always find an Irish connection no matter how far away from home you are.
As part of my work in Tuvalu, I held a meeting with a small group of young Tuvaluans. We discussed their priorities, concerns and ideas for Tuvalu going forward. Climate adaptation was undoubtedly a priority. Surprisingly, many of the challenges discussed are similar to those I have experienced myself as a young person in rural Ireland. These included housing, transport and lack of opportunities for young people.
Living and working in the Pacific has been an amazing experience and, undoubtedly, I am learning in my job with the United Nations but also from my lived experience.
Fiji is certainly a wonderful place to experience a tropical holiday but there is plenty beyond the beaches and coconut trees. Fiji is a developing country with many issues related to climate change, poverty and food security. But, above all, Fiji is a country of kind, welcoming and proud people – and they are great singers!
- Treasa Cadogan is from Cape Clear Island in West Cork and moved to Fiji in November 2022 to work for the United Nations. Her work focuses on climate change and the food system as well as youth, which took her on a UN mission to Tuvalu, one of the world’s most remote countries and the most impacted by the rising sea levels
- If you live overseas and would like to share your experience with Irish Times Abroad, email abroad@irishtimes.com with a little information about you and what you do
