Traditional Kiribati beliefs about environmental issues and its impacts on rural and urban communities

Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, Ahead of Print. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report how the encouragement of collaboration between local stakeholders, communities and the government helps slow the great impact of disaster risks and the impacts of climate change on livelihoods and lives. It also describes how promoting the acceptance and contributions of traditional knowledge in this effort owing to their accessibility and affordability and their cultural compatibility with the community contributes to addressing the challenges in Kiribati faces. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on government and NGO reports, as well as other documentary sources, this paper examines the nature of current efforts and the state of community practices in Kiribati. Findings Disaster risks and climate change are currently destroying all facets of I-Kiribati life. It is, therefore, imperative that a holistic form of partnership bringing together both state and non-state actors and that through this community awareness be implemented within the Kiribati policies and community development programs to improve dissemination of prevention and risk reduction programs, while maintaining the cultural infrastructure. Social implications Access to modern technologies and factors which inhibit local utilization of natural resources as well as traditional Kiribati beliefs about environment issues and impacts on people illustrate the potential and difficulties of c...
Source: Disaster Prevention and Management - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research