By Gabriella Santini, University of Ottawa

Scientific research suggests that islands are the first regions affected by climate change. They face rising water levels, increasing typhoons, and shrinking areas of dry land. However, little research has explored the human dimension of this ecological crisis. The effects of climate change have the power to trigger new forms of solidarity, identity, and mobilization. This is the case on Orchid Island, a small piece of land that measures 45 km², east of Taiwan's southern coast.

A one-month field stay on this island, among the indigenous Yami group, allowed me to understand the human and social complexity of this ecological issue. I found that the consequences of increased tourism and nuclear waste storage are experienced more concretely in the everyday lives of the Yami than the somewhat less obvious effects of climate change — that said, they are not detached and indifferent to the more subtle transformations of climate change. The Yami are caught in a double constraint (double bind). The double bind is a dilemma in which individuals are subjected to two contradictory situations, one annulling the other. Double-bind theory states that a successful response to one situation causes the inability to respond to the other. In this case, individuals are trapped and therefore doomed to always make a bad decision, whatever their response to this dilemma. This is the case of the Yami. Although tourism and nuclear storage pollute the island with various types of waste, the islanders benefit from what these two industries bring them economically. If they stop these economic activities, they will not be able to continue living a prosperous life on Orchid Island since they would have to find better-paid work on the Taiwanese mainland. However, some community members are trying to find creative ways to break this vicious circle. Is it possible to find a line of flight, an exit, to finally escape this double bind?

During my fieldwork on Orchid Island, I noticed that some community members are dedicated to finding a positive response to both constraints so they can continue to make profits in a more sustainable way. I was fortunate to discover two types of projects developed by committed Yami to face their dilemma. The first tackles the waste problem directly through concrete actions in the field. A community member, alarmed by the increasing amount of waste accumulating on the shores, founded an organization, "Lanyu Environmental Educational Association", aimed at collecting waste on the island and raising public awareness through workshops and fundraising campaigns. The second response to the double bind is a bit more abstract. Some Yami are trying to develop new forms of virtual identity in order to be able to control the flow of people, and therefore of waste, on their territory. It is a Tao passport — a self-sovereign that provides islanders with a virtual identity. Non-Tao visitors can also apply for an electronic passport. With this technology, the creators hope to encourage tourists and the local population to reduce the amount of waste. Local business owners can reward tourists in the form of cryptocurrency for good behavior, such as taking their garbage back to Taiwan instead of leaving it on the island.

Finally, the Yami represent one group among many that are facing global issues experienced at the local level. However, the ecological stresses experienced by different localities give rise to new forms of resilience and adaptation. Some islanders have been able to adopt creative strategies not only to protect island ecosystems, but also to preserve their cultural identity in a technocapitalist future. It is important to note that solutions prove difficult to implement. The Yami, members of an egalitarian society, distrust altruistic projects that could give power to one member over the others. Consequently, acting collectively remains a challenge. Nevertheless, the seeds have been planted and it is up to the next generations to reap the fruits.