Fiji Serua Island residents reject relocation to build climate resilience

Residents of Serua Island in Fiji have rejected calls to relocate their village and are choosing to renovate flimsy coastal homes instead, Euronews reported. The tiny island features a low-lying centre between two steep palm-covered knolls, flanked by coral reefs and rich fishing grounds. Inhabitants cite the area's scenery as a key reason to remain in place. [1]

Rising sea levels pose a direct risk to the island, Euronews reported. A concrete sea wall currently serves as the primary defence against ocean waves that already flood into homes inside the village during high air pressure. [1]

Fiji is an archipelagic country in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of more than 330 islands, of which roughly 110 are permanently inhabited, and over 500 islets. About 87 percent of the total population lives on the two main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. [2]

The country gained independence in October 1970 and transitioned to a republic in 1987. As FTMQ News reported earlier, international leaders held a climate summit in Fiji in October 2026, where the incoming president of Cop31 called on wealthy nations to increase funding for the climate crisis. [3][5]