Across the Pacific, climate change appears through a series of interconnected phenomena, or signals. Considered together, these signals trace how a warming ocean reshapes not only the atmosphere, but also coastlines and communities, revealing an unequal distribution of responsibility and climate impacts.

This project tells the story of five climate signals across nine Pacific Island countries: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu. These countries were selected both for the consistency of available data, and to provide a balanced representation of the three major Pacific subregions: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Within each subregion, the data cover both larger volcanic islands and low-lying atoll states, capturing a range of geographical settings and climate vulnerabilities.

The story begins with rising sea surface temperatures in the Pacific, as a changing ocean–atmosphere system reshapes rainfall patterns and contributes to changes in sea level. For many communities in the region, particularly those living on narrow, low-elevation coastal land, even small shifts in the ocean can significantly affect infrastructure, ecosystems, and daily life.

Drag the entries around the workspace to create your own journey. Together, these five signals reveal the system.

Authors

Polina Korneeva [Data visualisation, Graphic design]; Warja Rybakova [Development]; Stephen Haigh [Storytelling]

Data sources

Pacific Data Hub; Global Carbon Project, via Our World in Data; Copernicus Climate Change Service

Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information [2026]. Neither the European Commission nor ECMWF is responsible for any use that may be made of the Copernicus information or data it contains.