Paper short abstract:

This paper explores various temporal perspectives for displacement-related decision-making under climate change in low-lying island communities, focused on understanding tempophilia (having an affinity for the present time) as a framing for constructing the future.

Paper long abstract:

Climate change impacts are being felt now across many low-lying island communities, yet climate change is still seen by many as being an ephemeral challenge, distant in time and space. Tempophilia focuses on what is happening now and what affects people day-to-day—that is, having an affinity for the present time—yet it is frequently the basis for decision-making that formulates and constructs a future or a set of futures. With much rhetoric, and limited reality so far, of climate change forced displacement, but with expectations for more in the future from low-lying islands, how could the tempophilia-future nexus be better researched to inform policy and practice? Using interviews and understandings regarding climate change and displacement from low-lying island communities across various cultures, challenges in vocalising different temporal frames and interests emerge. Additionally, alternative techniques through performing arts are explored for articulating and possibly reconciling differences in order to communicate and enact decision-making processes for different forms of displacement over various time scales.