Symbols, Narratives, and Adaptation: A Semiotic Study on the Representation of Climate Change in the Pacific Islands Region through The Forgotten Pacific

Climate change poses a real and escalating threat to coastal and small island communities in the Pacific through sea level rise, coastal erosion, and ecosystem degradation that severely affect livelihoods, cultural identity, and longterm community resilience.The Forgotten Pacific documentary not only delivers factual information, but also constructs deeper layers of meaning through powerful symbols, narrative structures, and visual metaphors.This study employs Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis to examine the interconnected layers of denotation, connotation, and myth embedded within the film's imagery, dialogue, and cultural representations.The findings reveal that the sea is portrayed ambivalently as both a source of life, sustenance, and cultural continuity, and simultaneously as a looming threat shaped by climate-induced transformations.Submerged houses, eroded shorelines, and displaced communities become striking metaphors for vulnerability and loss.The main narrative emphasizes resilience, collective resistance, and the significance of traditional ecological knowledge in navigating and adapting to the ongoing impacts of climate change.In conclusion, the film constructs collective myths about the identity, endurance, and survival of island communities, while reinforcing the urgency of global climate action, the ethics of environmental responsibility, and the broader contribution of environmental communication studies.