Pacific Climate Migration Projects Gain Investment Call
The International Organization for Migration urges governments to fund locally led climate mobility solutions across the Pacific.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Safety
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The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has called on governments to increase investment in locally led climate mobility solutions in the Pacific, where at least 50,000 islanders are at risk of displacement from disasters and climate-related events each year. New community-led adaptation projects began in Vanuatu and Fiji in October 2026.
Why it matters
The Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility, endorsed by Pacific leaders in 2023, is the first regional framework of its kind to comprehensively address climate-related migration and displacement. Its 2025-2030 Implementation Plan is now in effect, making sustained and accessible climate finance a central requirement.
The figure of at least 50,000 people at risk each year comes from IOM's assessment of climate-related displacement across the Pacific, and the source does not state how many have actually been displaced so far. Preliminary findings from IOM's Risk Index for Climate Displacement inform the current projects, but the index's full results are not described in the source.
The players
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
The United Nations agency that works on migration issues worldwide and published the call for greater investment in locally led climate mobility solutions in the Pacific.
The details
IOM is urging governments to direct more funding toward community-driven projects. In Vanuatu, natural springs are being shielded from volcanic ash and extreme weather and connected to villages through piped systems, while local technicians are trained to maintain them and pandanus is being restored along eroding coastlines to support women's livelihoods. In Fiji, drainage systems in flood-affected areas are being strengthened and solar-powered lighting has been installed on essential routes.
Timeline
2023: Pacific leaders endorse the Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility.
2025-2030: Implementation Plan for the framework is in effect.
October 2026: Community-led projects begin in Vanuatu and Fiji.
November 11, 2026: IOM publishes its call for increased investment in locally led solutions.
November 2026: COP31 takes place in Antalya, Türkiye.
Seasonal Patterns
The Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility, endorsed in 2023 as the first regional framework of its kind, sets the policy context for these projects. The projects in Vanuatu and Fiji are the first community-level expression of its 2025-2030 Implementation Plan.
Residents in climate-exposed Pacific communities can engage with local adaptation planning and water, drainage, and lighting projects where they are available. Readers interested in supporting these efforts can follow updates from IOM and national governments implementing the framework.
The takeaway
Locally designed projects that combine water security, drainage, and livelihoods appear to be the practical route the Pacific framework is taking toward protecting communities from displacement. Sustained climate finance will determine whether these pilots can reach the scale needed.
What happens next
COP31 takes place in Antalya, Türkiye, this month, where climate finance for vulnerable regions is expected to be on the agenda.
Further reading
For related coverage of protective measures communities can take, see Safety.
Source note: This article includes information reported by International Organization for Migration.
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