Time to take the climate change challenge beyond the science

Pacific Island economies are deeply impacted by climate change with weather events regularly disrupting and often stopping small and medium businesses, and agriculture operations altogether.

This is one of the top priorities for Dean of the Fiji National University (FNU) College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Professor Arun Elias, when it comes to the research being undertaken by the Pacific Action on Climate Transitions (PACT) research centre.

“I would like to see the Fiji Government make some policy changes based on the research centre’s findings that will help manage the impact of climate change among businesses and farmers, especially those in coastal villages and on small islands,” Prof Elias says.

“Climate change discussions are dominated by scientists, which is very important, but we’ve reached a stage where we need more applied research rather than pure scientific theory,” he says.

“Not many climate change research centres are based in business schools. Monash Business School is taking this opportunity to lead a climate change research centre, moving from a very pure science-based approach to a more management-applied research approach.”

Professor Elias has an interest in all the aspects of economic wellbeing that PACT will focus on, with the impacts of climate change touching every facet of business and industry within Fiji and the Pacific.

“While PACT is dominated by economics, it will also look at supply chains, operations and accounting. I'm excited about the interdisciplinary nature of this research with science and business coming together within the centre,” he says.

And it is research with enormous potential to make a real difference to many communities and influence decision-makers across the island nation.

“The leaders of this centre are actively engaging with policymakers within government departments and other public sector agencies, so impactful changes to policy will be a very important outcome of PACT within Fiji,” Professor Elias says.

“The partnership between Monash and FNU means a lot. For FNU, this is assisting us with capacity development that will have long-term impacts.”