Sikaiana, a small island spanning less than two square kilometers, is surrounded by the sea and inhabited by only 300 people. Located over 200 kilometers from the main island of the Solomon archipelago, it faces unique challenges. Most homes are near the shore, where high tides flood the trees and seep into wells, making fresh water scarce.
Despite these difficulties, life follows a regular routine. Children walk barefoot to school, fishermen prepare nets, and families tend gardens as they always have. At the island’s sole school, Principal Tuiao Kapule draws rainwater from a storage tank, highlighting the importance of this resource on their isolated atoll. “When I was a child, life here was different,” he remarks. “Tides are higher now, saltwater levels have risen, and growing food is more challenging.” Watching his students play, their laughter echoing across the yard, he adds, “Families struggle with these changes. Some students stay home when food is scarce.”
As rising tides alter life on Sikaiana, Tuiao Kapule worries about the future. Later, standing outside her house with her youngest child in her arms, she reflects, “Sikaiana is my homeland. But if we have to leave, I will. Life here is not what it used to be.” Her experiences echo those of Mary Maike, a community elder who has lived by the sea all her life. “When it rains a lot, we cannot harvest,” Mary explains. “Our gardens depend on the weather. Prolonged sunshine dries up reservoirs, forcing us to find wells and boil water before drinking.”
Watching her grandchildren play while elders rest nearby, Mary observes, “If we must move, our leaders will decide. Even if we agree, we don’t know where to go. We prefer staying near the sea, as we rely on fishing and shell collecting. Moving inland would greatly complicate our lives.”
Across the Solomon Islands, stories like those of Tuiao and Mary are becoming more common as rising seas, stronger storms, and climate change reshape daily life – flooding gardens, contaminating wells, and eroding coastlines. On Sikaiana, the change is visible: the atoll rises only four meters above sea level and is protected by a narrow strip of mangroves. For Tuiao, Mary, and other Pacific lowland communities, there is no higher ground. Sea walls are too costly and challenging to install, making resettlement the only viable option.
The fate of small islands threatened by climate change will be among the topics discussed by delegates at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil. This challenge isn’t new. In 2022, the Solomon Islands Government, with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), launched the Planned Resettlement Guidelines, a framework for managing community resettlement from high-risk areas as a last resort. IOM assists in developing a standard approach for the planned move, ensuring it is transparent, inclusive, and respects islanders’ dignity while securing their future.
As the sun sets in Sikaiana, waves gently crash against the shore, a rhythm that has long defined island life. Yet beneath the calm surface lies uncertainty: how long can this lifestyle endure? Like many families in the Solomon Islands, Tuiao and Mary hope for a secure home and a future their children can build with pride. Whether they remain on Sikaiana or relocate, their unity and strength sustain them with dignity.
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