‘Moving to the mountaintops’: rising seas displace tens of thousands in Papua New Guinea

In coastal villages in Papua New Guinea’s Gulf province, residents say rising seas and shifting weather patterns have made it harder to grow crops and fish in the ocean Photograph: Supplied

Two years ago fisher Siri James lived on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea, in a small village near Pariva beach. But as the tides continued to rise, James was forced to move further in from the shore.

“It’s not easy moving inland, I was born and raised by the seas, I am a fisherman. I know the flow of tides and currents, I know when the wind will come strongly and when it will rain – but now I don’t understand why everything is changing,” says James, who is in his early 40s.