Perspectives from the Pacific Islands on climate and nuclear justice

amatoa Tepuhiarii from French Polynesia gives his perspectives on climate and nuclear justice…

Come to the Ikuwo (Goethestr.1) on Thursday the 18th of June!
No registration needed, free of charge!

• 16:30 – 19:00 Part 1: Rethinking Global south and north border: the context of Climate Justice in the Pacific
• 19:00 – 20:00 Soli – Kitchen (vegan food) (thanks @Mampfansage!)
• 20:00 – 21:30 Part 2: Nuclear Justice: a call to collective action

Tamatoa Tepuhiarii
… is a is a Māòhi research associate (from Māʻohi Nui/French Polynesia) and a PhD candidate at the University of Hamburg (Institute of Geography, Germany). His research focuses on Indigenous narratives surrounding the „Nuclear world“ within the framework of the common research project „Nuclear Justice and Gender in the Sea of Islands.“

Part 1: Rethinking Global south and north border: the context of Climate Justice in the Pacific

The Pacific is often framed as a peripheral space in global climate debates, positioned at the margins of a North/South divide largely defined through economic indicators and geopolitical power. Yet, the legacies of nuclear colonialism in Māòhi Nui/French Polynesia reveal how these borders are historically produced through extractivism, militarisation, and environmental sacrifice. In this context, climate justice cannot be reduced to questions of vulnerability or adaptation alone. It must also address the unequal distribution of risk, health burdens, cultural disruption, and economic dependency inherited from colonial and nuclear infrastructures. By centring Indigenous epistemologies and community experiences, this presentation interrogates how Pacific societies challenge dominant frameworks of climate governance and redefine justice beyond state-centric and technocratic approaches. Rethinking the Global North and South from the Pacific thus requires understanding climate justice as inseparable from historical responsibility, decolonisation, and nuclear justice.

Part 2: Nuclear Justice: a call to collective action

In October 2025, the seminar on „Nuclear and Climate Justice“ provided critical space to rethink the enduring legacies of nuclear colonialism in the Pacific. Beyond environmental contamination and health impacts, this presentation highlights the social, cultural, and economic consequences of the nuclear era in Māòhi Nui/French Polynesia. It calls for a broader understanding of nuclear justice that centres Indigenous voices, lived experiences, and community-based knowledge systems. By connecting questions of healthcare access, economic dependency, cultural disruption, and political recognition, the presentation seeks to foster dialogue between researchers, activists, and affected communities. Ultimately, it invites collective action toward a decolonial and holistic vision of justice, grounded in both historical accountability and Pacific futures.