Kiribati: "Some aspects of human ecology." Forty years later

Abstract

The Republic of Kiribati, comprising 33 atolls and reef islands, is unique in having the largest Pacific atoll population and the largest concentration of urban dwellers in the Pacific atoll groups. Because of uneven distribution, this population is severely taxing the environment, particularly on Tarawa Atoll. The island nation is attempting to strike a balance between modem aspirations and the need to develop limited resources in a sustainable way. The challenges of small size, remoteness, geographical dispersion, vulnerability to drought, and a highly limited internal market are of significance to the human ecology. While Kiribati benefits from aid and remittances and from other rent opportunities, including fishing licenses and income derived from the Revenue Equalization Fund (a legacy of phosphate mining on Banaba), it is also aiming to further develop its fisheries and, to a lesser degree, diversify local agricultural production in the hope of achieving greater economic independence and improve local nutrition. Future development of the primary sector cannot be divorced from wider concerns such as improvements in transport and storage infrastructure, resource management, pollution, coastal erosion, water quality control, renewable energy production, family planning, and global warming.

High apex predator biomass on remote Pacific islands

“…Christmas and Fanning Islands have been inhabited for as much as 2,000 years (Thomas 2003). Christmas Island has a current population of ca.…”

“…3,000 due to a governmental citizen-3 relocation program (K. Anderson, personal communication;Chung 2000). At both islands, local fishermen use gill nets and hook-and-line to catch reef fishes, including sharks, and spear-fishing and long-lining occur throughout the surrounding waters (Thomas 2003). In 1995, shark-fin exports peaked with a total value exceeding US $494,000 (Thomas 2003).…”

Temporal and thematic trends in water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) research in Pacific Island Countries: a systematic review

“…However, these are often not widely applicable, as they are derived from modelling of specific situations (Terry et al 2001;Terry & Falkland 2010), technologies (Koda et al 2013), geological formations (Nakada et al 2012) or communities and regions (Thomas 2003;Wohl 2006). There was minimal discussion of the social factors affecting environmental management, which were of great importance in the PIC context (Guerrier et al 2013;Clarke et al 2014).…”

Climate change‐induced migration in the Pacific Region: sudden crisis and long‐term developments1

“…Although no studies currently exist, these figures are considered to be much lower for males and females living on South Tarawa. This can be linked to lifestyle diseases associated with urbanisation, notably a reliance on nutritionally inferior processed foods, such as refined sugar, tinned meats, soft drinks and low‐fibre bread and rice (Thomas 2003, 8). Since the end of World War II, the I‐Kiribati diet has changed from a fish and coconut dominated‐diet to a diet that is high in fat and sugar, while low in fibre (Thomas 2002, 166).…”