Carteret Islands are a group of six tiny islands in Bouganville Autonomous Region in Papua New Guinea and are 86 km away from the main island, Bouganville. Having an area of 0.6 km², and an elevation of just 1.2 meters above sea level at its highest point Carteret islands are extremly exposed to the impacts of climate change. It has been exstimated that 50% of the surface of th Carterets got lost since 1994 because of sea level rise and regularly occuring floods. The negative effects of climate change have contaminated fresh water supplies in the islands forcing the local population to relocation. In 2006, conscious of the worsening situation, the Council of the Elders decided to create an ONG called Tulele Peisa (which means "sailing the waves on our own") with the aim of coordinating the voluntary relocation of Carteret islanders in Bouganville in the villages of Tinputz, Tearouki, Mabiri e Tsimba who's lands have been donated to the mentioned Ong by the Catholic Church of Bouganville. However the sites made available are not sufficient to host those willing to relocate. and it's very difficult to acquire new land and obtain the legal title to it because land rights follow the customary law. And it's even harder to find relocation sites that replicate the environmetal conditions typical of small islands and atolls. Indeed the chosen sites in Bouganville were very different compared to the original sites and this resulted in a change in the lifestyle and diet of the Cartert islanders. Moreover ne must not forget the spiritual dimention of relocation. In this respect Ursula Rakova, president of the association, stated in an interview given in June 2015 that the elders refused to leave Cartert Islands because of the spiritual connection to their land which is home to their ancestors. That's why the target for relocation are families whose members are aged among 18 and 45. Bouganville government has no financial resources to lead th relocation process and the Carteret islanders have no financial resources to acquire new land to host them. As th name of the grassroots organizatin suggests Carteret Islander are literally sailing the waves on their own!
Written by: Elisa Veritti
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