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The Pacific Island countries are culturally diverse, politically challenging, extremely vulnerable to climate change and natural disaster impacts, and financially heavily dependent on aid flows. This chapter examines barriers and opportunities for Green growth (GG) to flourish in a country with a practically non-existent real economy and which is currently under the threat of disappearance under water. It draws on a visiting experience and lessons from the literature and tries to investigate the role of innovation and entrepreneurship as poles of re-birth and local creativity. More particularly, I here discuss why a least developed country such as Kiribati might be the perfect location for dynamics of GG to get born and how, Kiribati, a country under threat and fear, can be transformed into a lighthouse of entrepreneurship which can give boost to the implementation of one of the most advanced energy technologies in the world. I also discuss how, ultimately, a “least developed economy” can secure scientific lessons, which are highly significant for the international knowledge society.

The purpose of this paper is to report how the encouragement of collaboration between local stakeholders, communities and the government helps slow the great impact of disaster risks and the impacts of climate change on livelihoods and lives. It also describes how promoting the acceptance and contributions of traditional knowledge in this effort owing to their accessibility and affordability and their cultural compatibility with the community contributes to addressing the challenges in Kiribati faces.

Drawing on government and NGO reports, as well as other documentary sources, this paper examines the nature of current efforts and the state of community practices in Kiribati.

Disaster risks and climate change are currently destroying all facets of I-Kiribati life. It is, therefore, imperative that a holistic form of partnership bringing together both state and non-state actors and that through this community awareness be implemented within the Kiribati policies and community development programs to improve dissemination of prevention and risk reduction programs, while maintaining the cultural infrastructure.

Access to modern technologies and factors which inhibit local utilization of natural resources as well as traditional Kiribati beliefs about environment issues and impacts on people illustrate the potential and difficulties of convergence of new ideas with traditional knowledge.

The Kiribati “Frontline” project is an activity which has been led by the Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific Kiribati, both stimulated and in part subsidized by the Global Network for Disaster Reduction that provided financial support to work with rural and urban communities on mitigating disaster risks and climate change issues.

This chapter examines the perceived socio-cultural impacts of relocation to Fiji through the lens of target communities in Kiribati. Findings based on the perceptions of Kiribati communities reveal that relocation is the last ‘adaptation resort’ to escape and offset individual losses caused by climate change. It is viewed as an option that will compromise their socio-cultural practices and values in the long term. This study indicates that attention should not be focused only on factors that drive human relocation but should also prioritise justifications of those who choose not to relocate. This approach will better serve community expectations for in-country climate change adaptation and help shape future strategies and/or policies on climate change-driven relocation. Finally, policies and adaptation initiatives should be holistically framed; integrating values that are important to grassroots level such as socio-cultural values; and spiritual and mobility concerns for informed decision-making at all levels.

Examines the socio‐economic situation of the least developed Pacific Island nations (Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tuvalu and Kiribati) and the type of economics development advice which they have been given in recent years. Suggests that this advice was based on neo‐classical models and was insensitive to the institutional and cultural backgrounds of these countries. Argues that because of the insensitivity, proposed policies may be doomed and could result in further economic hardship.

Using the United Nations’ definition of least developed nations, examines the socioeconomic situation of the least developed Pacific island nations, namely the Melanesian countries – the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, the Polynesian countries – Samoa and Tuvalu, and the Micronesian country – Kiribati, and critically discusses the type of development policy advice given to these nations by Bretton Woods’ institutions and their “relatives”. Suggests that the emphasis of these institutions and many donor countries on the desirability of business‐led development, structural adjustment policies and the globalisation of these economies has paid insufficient attention to the cultural background, institutional and other constraints encountered by these economies and may have added to political instability in this region, as well as the occurrence of poverty and growing inequality. A different set of policy proposals would have emerged if greater account had been taken of the general views of Myrdal rather than relying almost exclusively on the neoclassical economic paradigm. This is especially unfortunate because severe poverty (even more so than in much of Asia) exists in several of these least developed nations e.g. the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

Systems educational reform in developing countries through effective principal capacity- building programs is essential for improving student learning, with the purpose of this paper being to use case studies to identify key success factors in the implementation of an instructional leadership program in the developing country of Kiribati.

A case study approach involving mixed methods including semi-structured interviews and document analysis was used within three purposively sampled schools to examine implementation success factors relevant to instructional leadership literature

The case studies reveal the overall value of the Kiribati instructional leadership program involving school leader workshops and ongoing coaching support, with instructional leadership reflecting directive and collaborative, as well as transformative theoretical aspects. Key implementation success factors within researched schools were leaders undertaking regular observations in classrooms, systematic tracking of student achievement and nurturing a positive culture for learning, as well as establishment of various collaborative processes involving community and teacher peer learning groups.

The study provides in-depth information through teacher and school leader interviews and examining relevant school documentation artefacts. A limitation is that the study involved only three schools and was undertaken less than a year into program implementation. Future research involving more schools and several years after implementation would be beneficial to investigate sustainability across the school system and longer-term program impacts.

The data provides practical tips for school leaders regarding effective teacher capacity-building approaches, as well as providing information for policy makers, especially in developing countries, about effective professional development programs for school leaders and teachers. 10; 10;

The study examines a system-wide workshop series and coaching approach to school leader and teacher capacity-building in a developing country from a theoretical and practical perspective relevant to instructional leadership and also transformational leadership, which is an under-researched area. 10; 10; 10;

Small island developing states and their natural and socioeconomic environments are considered particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change. Albeit tourism is often regarded as the future economic driver for many such destinations, the industry has received relatively little attention in local and regional adaptation processes. This chapter specifically explores the role that donor funding has played in facilitating adaptation of tourism-related activities in Kiribati and Tuvalu and proposes ways to more effectively enhance outcomes. Theoretical and practical insights are provided, discussing how adaptations are not only shaped by awareness and motivations of local and governmental stakeholders, but how these are also informed by regional and international donors and their implementing agencies.

Argues that the serious environmental degradation occurring in two “low island” Pacific states, Kiribati and Tuvalu, can be directly attributed to the lack of allocation of rights of access to, or the lack of exclusion of non rights‐holders from, common property resources. A recommendation, resulting from research in the countries concerned, is that the governments must enforce their rights over lands and underground water, if these resources are to continue to provide benefits to the community and if disease incidence in the population (an outcome of open access to public resources) is to be reduced. For the management of inshore fisheries resources, it is suggested that rights of Island Councils are confirmed and reinforced by central government. In the case of the nations’ ocean resources, co‐operation between Pacific island states is required to manage access and exploitation by foreign vessels.

It has been estimated that some Small Island Developing States might have only decades before their territories become uninhabitable. Future of these states poses timely questions to world politics. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the potential hosts and endangered states at the time of relocation by looking at two relocation scenarios: Kiribati/New Zealand and the Maldives/Sri Lanka.

The paper uses normative international political theory to explore the nature of relocation. It critically examines the proposal for the free right to choose the new host state. Guided by two examples, the paper proposes that we should not ignore the contingent reasoning when evaluating these hypothetical scenarios.

The paper argues that the endangered state might have ethical grounds for its rights–claims to continuous existence on a chosen territory. At the same time, both scenarios looked at here also impose serious constraints. By illustrating these constraints, the paper aims at mapping some central challenges that the continuity of endangered states creates to international state-system. The paper argues that the complex relationships between the potential hosts and the relocating communities should not be ignored.

This paper provides a contextual analysis of two hypothetical relocation scenarios. In doing so, it relies on comparative research in two regions and offers a normative argument in relation to the rights of both endangered and host populations.

The purpose of this paper is to individually examine the findings from eight case studies presented in this special issue and comparatively identify the findings regarding local learning and action.

Underlying research questions regarding power and powerlessness in regard to addressing underlying risk factors affecting local populations form the basis for the discussion. Proceedings of a collaborative workshop conducted with the contributing authors are analysed qualitatively to identify learning relating to the research questions emerging from the case studies individually and collectively.

A number of strategies and tactics for addressing underlying risk factors affecting local populations were identified from the case studies, including collaboration and cohesion. Campaigning, lobbying, communications and social mobilisation in an attempt to bridge the gap between local concerns and the decision-making of government and other powerful actors. Innovation and local mobilisation to address shortcomings in government support for disaster reduction and development. Communications as a first base to influence behaviour of both communities and government. Social change through empowerment of women to act in disaster reduction and development.

The outcomes of the action research conducted by the authors individually and collectively highlight the necessity for bridging different scales of action through a range of strategies and tactics to move beyond local self-reliance to influence on underlying risk factors. The action research process employed may have wider applications in gathering and formalising local-level experience and knowledge.

The case studies and their analysis present a range of practical strategies and tactics to strengthen local resilience and address underlying risk factors which are replicable in other contexts.

Practitioners are activists and do not often engage in critical reflection and analysis. The method presented here offers a means of achieving this in order to generate learning from local-level experience. The findings contribute to the consideration of cross-scale action to address underlying risk factors which impact local communities.