Climate Adaptation and Community Lessons from the Cook Islands

The Pacific Islands are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and the Cook Islands is among these at-risk nations.

Mangaia, the second-largest island in the Cook Islands, has a population of approximately 500 residents. The island’s harbour is essential for survival, providing access to vital supplies such as food, fuel, building materials, and other goods and services. It also serves as a crucial connection to shipping services in Rarotonga, a hub for local fishing vessels, and a docking site for inter-island cargo ships.

However, Mangaia Harbour suffered significant damage from tropical cyclones Meena and Nancy, necessitating a post-disaster rebuild that began in 2009. The reconstruction aimed not only to repair the damage but also to “climate-proof” the harbour, strengthening it to withstand rising sea levels, intensifying cyclones, coastal hazards, and water scarcity.

As the Cook Islands continue to invest in climate adaptation projects, the rebuilding of Mangaia Harbour offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of such initiatives, highlighting both adaptation benefits and maladaptation risks.

The role of community engagement in climate adaptation projects

In recent years, public project planning has shifted towards greater community involvement in decision-making. This approach broadens perspectives beyond traditional engineering and economic lenses to include social and cultural impacts, ensuring that development genuinely meets local needs.

A New Zealand-based study titled “From community involvement to project outcomes: Insights from the Mangaia harbour adaptation project“, published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (October 2025), examined how community participation influenced the outcomes of the Mangaia Harbour project.

Using a case study approach, researchers found that many residents felt dissatisfied with the project’s outcomes, citing insufficient community engagement. Although the project began with active local input, it later shifted from a two-way dialogue to one-way communication during the construction phase. This change led to unmet community expectations and adverse outcomes.

Findings: Missed opportunities and lessons learned

The study identified several key issues, including inadequate consultation with essential community groups such as elders and fishermen, and a lack of cultural integration in project design. Furthermore, the harbour’s resilience to climate risks such as storm surges and king tides was considered insufficient.

While the project improved safety and created social spaces, these benefits were overshadowed by economic drawbacks, such as higher goods costs and limited functional improvements, as larger vessels still cannot access the harbour due to its shallow depth.

The authors stressed two major lessons:

1. Continuous community engagement is crucial.
   
   Although the project began with promising consultation efforts, it evolved into a top-down process that failed to maintain inclusivity. Certain groups were alienated—a pattern seen in many participatory processes, where only the most visible or vocal stakeholders are heard.
   
2. Cultural and ecological integration must guide design.
   
   Failing to embed Mangaia’s cultural values and ecological context into the harbour design limited its effectiveness. Robust community participation throughout all project phases could have ensured that the outcome reflected local realities and needs.

Building climate-resilient futures for Pacific Islands

The research highlights the importance of ongoing, meaningful community participation at every stage of climate adaptation projects, from design to implementation and long-term monitoring. This is particularly vital in small island contexts where culture, environment, and livelihoods are deeply intertwined.

The authors recommend incorporating local knowledge into policy and planning, establishing long-term monitoring systems, and designing multi-functional infrastructure that addresses social, economic, and cultural goals.

Ultimately, the Mangaia Harbour project provides a crucial case study for other Pacific Island nations and regions facing similar climate vulnerabilities, demonstrating that genuine collaboration with local communities is key to building resilience and sustainable climate adaptation outcomes.