From the Sea Up: How Pacific Islands Can Lead the Way in Climate Solutions

When you search for Tahiti on Google Earth, the globe turns blue. This simple act is a powerful reminder of our reality: we are a country of islands, 99.9% ocean, where the land is not just surrounded by water—it is defined by it. Growing up in such an environment, I learned early that our survival depends on the delicate balance between people and nature. Today, as the world grapples with climate change, French Polynesia and other Pacific nations and territories are proving that small islands can be mighty laboratories for innovation and resilience.

A Legacy of Innovation and Stewardship

For millennia, Polynesians have thrived in harmony with their environment. Traditional practices like rahui—a system of temporary resource protection—demonstrate how ancestral wisdom can inform modern conservation. Today, this spirit of stewardship is alive in groundbreaking initiatives:

• Coral Gardeners: Founded by teens from Mo’ore’a, this now global movement is restoring coral reefs through community-led efforts, combining traditional knowledge with cutting-edge science.

• Tahiti Marine Biotech: Pioneering sustainable sea cucumber farming for health benefits, this small local company not only supports island communities livelihoods but also helps restore marine ecosystems.

• Sustainable Fisheries: With one of the world’s largest marine protected areas, announced at the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC), French Polynesia is setting a global standard for ocean conservation.

• Honu: With custom-built submersibles, this promising initiative supported by Sylvia Earle, will soon allow tourists and researchers alike to explore and be awed by the wonders of the ocean depths.

• Biocode: This decade long research project hosted at the Gump Station is cataloging the genetic diversity of our islands, unlocking potential for biotechnology and conservation while documenting the cultural importance of selected species.

Islands as Living Labs

French Polynesia is more than a postcard—it’s a proving ground for climate solutions. Our isolation and vulnerability have forced us to innovate. We’ve turned challenges into opportunities: harnessing deep seawater for cooling (SWAC), sustainably farming black pearls in small atolls, and developing tourism that respects our fragile ecosystems. These are not just local successes; they are blueprints for the world.

Yet, our potential is not limited by our people nor by our ideas, but by access to resources. To promote and scale the most promising solutions, we need investment, expertise, access to global markets, and capacity building. Imagine a Pacific-customized version of the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program, based in a small island, where leaders from across the ocean could learn, collaborate, and drive change together.

A Call to Action

The climate crisis is not a distant threat—it’s our daily reality. But as islanders, we are not (anymore) just waiting for others to bring us solutions. We are building them from the ground sea up. The question is: Will the world bother?

For those who believe in the power of local action, now is the time to support indigenous innovation. Whether through funding, partnerships, or knowledge-sharing, your contribution can help turn our islands’ resilience into global impact.

As I tell my kids aged 9, 6 and 3, the most important work often begins at home. For me, that means protecting our fenua—one coral, one island, one community at a time. Join us.

Larry Vetea Tchiou is an impact entrepreneur, an innovation consultant and climate advocate based in Tahiti. He is an Edmund Hillary Fellow and an alumnus of the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program at UC Berkeley.

The blog image was published on Flickr. Original image by rachel_thecat. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/