The climate change policy integration challenge in French Polynesia, Central Pacific Ocean

Abstract

This paper discusses whether existing coastal risk reduction policies in French Polynesia—a French Overseas Territory with a high degree of political autonomy—(i) consider current and future coastal risks from climate variability and change, and (ii) are designed to evolve as new knowledge on climate change emerges. The analysis relies on the study of risk-relevant policy documents and considers Coastal risk integration (i.e. extent to which coastal hazards and associated impacts are considered) and Adjustability (i.e. potential for the policy documents to be adjusted over time) as proxy outcomes for climate change policy integration more broadly. The results show that there are still important gaps relating to an insufficient incorporation of climate-related coastal hazards into the existing policy documents, and to difficulties in both implementing these documents and making them more climate change-compatible. While recent examples on the ground provide encouraging early signs towards more adjustable local policies, they are to date too time- and/or space-bounded to represent any real shift at the territory level.