Rising seas-drowning cultures: the environmental and cultural complexity of climate change

Anna-Karina Hermkens; Javier Leon; John Barker; Lester Seri

doi:10.1038/s44168-025-00248-z

Rising seas-drowning cultures: the environmental and cultural complexity of climate change

Anna-Karina Hermkens, Javier Leon, John Barker, Lester Seri

School of Communication, Society and Culture

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/opinion › peer-review

20 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Despite the urgency of the climate change crisis and the increasing amount of research being undertaken, little is known about the predicament of isolated coastal communities, and the biophysical and especially intangible impacts they are facing. This Comment focuses on the predicament of the Maisin people in Papua New Guinea (PNG), highlighting the environmental and cultural complexity of climate change and the urgent need to support those who are most impacted.

Original language	English
Article number	49
Pages (from-to)	1-3
Number of pages	3
Journal	npj Climate Action
Volume	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s44168-025-00248-z
Publication status	Published - 15 May 2025

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2025. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

climate change
anthropology
Papua New Guinea

Access to Document

10.1038/s44168-025-00248-z

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 917 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

MQRSG: Rising Seas and drowning Cultures? Climate change and barkcloth art among the Maisin people of Papua New Guinea.
Hermkens, A.-K. (Primary Chief Investigator), Seri, L. (Associate Investigator) & Sem, G. (Associate Investigator)
1/01/20 → 31/12/24
Project: Other

Climate Change affects Collingwood Bay locals.
Hermkens, A.-K.
23/02/26
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
Climate Change Devastates Maisin Communities Daily Lives.
Hermkens, A.-K.
17/02/26
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research

Material witness: art and the climate crisis
Hermkens, A.-K. (Curator) & Davis, R. (Curator), 12 Nov 2025
Research output: Non-traditional research output › Exhibition

Cite this

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title = "Rising seas-drowning cultures: the environmental and cultural complexity of climate change",

abstract = "Despite the urgency of the climate change crisis and the increasing amount of research being undertaken, little is known about the predicament of isolated coastal communities, and the biophysical and especially intangible impacts they are facing. This Comment focuses on the predicament of the Maisin people in Papua New Guinea (PNG), highlighting the environmental and cultural complexity of climate change and the urgent need to support those who are most impacted.",

keywords = "climate change, anthropology, Papua New Guinea",

author = "Anna-Karina Hermkens and Javier Leon and John Barker and Lester Seri",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2025. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.",

year = "2025",

month = may,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1038/s44168-025-00248-z",

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journal = "npj Climate Action",

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T2 - the environmental and cultural complexity of climate change

AU - Hermkens, Anna-Karina

AU - Leon, Javier

AU - Barker, John

AU - Seri, Lester

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2025. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2025/5/15

Y1 - 2025/5/15

N2 - Despite the urgency of the climate change crisis and the increasing amount of research being undertaken, little is known about the predicament of isolated coastal communities, and the biophysical and especially intangible impacts they are facing. This Comment focuses on the predicament of the Maisin people in Papua New Guinea (PNG), highlighting the environmental and cultural complexity of climate change and the urgent need to support those who are most impacted.

AB - Despite the urgency of the climate change crisis and the increasing amount of research being undertaken, little is known about the predicament of isolated coastal communities, and the biophysical and especially intangible impacts they are facing. This Comment focuses on the predicament of the Maisin people in Papua New Guinea (PNG), highlighting the environmental and cultural complexity of climate change and the urgent need to support those who are most impacted.

KW - climate change

KW - anthropology

KW - Papua New Guinea

U2 - 10.1038/s44168-025-00248-z

DO - 10.1038/s44168-025-00248-z

M3 - Comment/opinion

SN - 2731-9814

VL - 4

SP - 1

EP - 3

JO - npj Climate Action

JF - npj Climate Action

M1 - 49

ER -

Rising seas-drowning cultures: the environmental and cultural complexity of climate change

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

MQRSG: Rising Seas and drowning Cultures? Climate change and barkcloth art among the Maisin people of Papua New Guinea.

Press/Media

Climate Change affects Collingwood Bay locals.

Climate Change Devastates Maisin Communities Daily Lives.

Research output

Material witness: art and the climate crisis

Cite this