The story of the Pacific's hidden geology comes to life

When we think of the Pacific Islands, images of palm-lined beaches, turquoise lagoons and gentle waves often come to mind.

But behind this postcard-perfect image lies a deeper, older story – a story written in rocks, lava, reefs and tectonic movements.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Pacific islands are “geological treasures” with landscapes shaped by ancient forces and ripe for conservation, education and sustainable development.

Thanks to a new animated short film released by UNESCO in collaboration with the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO), people across the region are invited to imagine what an inter-island “geopark” could look like. And why that is important.

A “geopark” is not just another type of tourist reserve. As defined by UNESCO's Global Geoparks (GGGp) program, it is a single, unified area in which landscapes and sites of geological importance are actively protected but also celebrated.

Through geotourism, education, community engagement and sustainable development, geoparks aim to connect the history of the Earth to the lives of people.

There are 229 such geoparks in 50 countries worldwide. However, so far only one geopark in the entire South Pacific has received official UNESCO designation, and that is the Waitaki Whitestone UNESCO Global Geopark on New Zealand's South Island.

This scarcity explains why many Pacific Islanders are still unfamiliar with the geopark idea. But the new film and ongoing work by UNESCO, SPC and SPTO aim to change that.

Their goal is to sow the seeds of recognition that geology, not just landscape, can become a source of local pride, jobs and long-term sustainability.

The many faces of Pacific geology

The geological histories of the Pacific are diverse and dramatic. Some islands, such as those in Samoa, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Micronesia, long ago rose above “hotspots” where clouds of magma shot through the Earth's crust.

Over time, the slow movements of the Pacific tectonic plates caused them to drift and form island chains that stretched across the ocean floor.

Other islands, such as those in Tonga, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, were formed by violent collisions and subduction at the boundary of tectonic plates, in the zone known as the Pacific Ring of Fire.

There, the Earth's crust submerges beneath another plate, melting and sending magma upward, creating volcanoes and mountains and sometimes ancient reef systems jutting out of the ocean.

This process can even transform coral reefs into sublime limestone islands, such as the famous rocky islands of Palau, now known for their natural and cultural value.

Most notably, the same Pacific geography also produces coral atolls. Islands in Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands were once volcanic peaks that slowly sank into the sea.

As they subsided, coral communities grew upward, eventually forming reef rings that now form low-lying atoll islands.

From volcanic peaks with fresh lava flows to ancient coral reefs turned into rocks, the Pacific island chain is like a living museum of geology, with each island telling a different chapter of Earth's history.

Local heroes lead the way

One of the pioneers of this geological renaissance is Aleni Fepuleai, a geologist from Sāmoa. Since 2017, he has been working with the SPC to compile the first formal inventory of “geosites” on Sāmoa's largest island, Savai'i.

Among the sites he identified was the volcanic area created by the eruption of Mt Matavanu between 1905 and 1911, a landscape characterized by lava flows, craters, blowholes and lava tubes.

In the UNESCO report, local leaders in the village of Safotu Fepuleai said it was a strong indication of how geotourism could benefit people's everyday lives: “Appropriate hiking trails, signage, toilets and safety features such as guardrails around the crater could bring back the tourism that once supported our community.”

Since 2020, UNESCO, SPC and SPTO have been working together to help Pacific countries identify geolocations and explore the possibility of establishing geoparks.

Several volcanic parks, including Matavanu (Sāmoa), Yasur Volcano (Vanuatu) and Hunga Volcano (Tonga), have already been designated as geological heritage sites by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS).

The Pacific region is part of the Ring of Fire: home to most of the world's active volcanoes and a hub for earthquakes, tsunamis and other geohazards.

The UN report says that by recognizing and protecting their geolocations and potentially establishing geoparks, Pacific communities can develop a better understanding of the land beneath their feet: its beauty, its power and its dangers.

It says geoparks could become places not only of learning and tourism, but also of resilience and safety, where people could learn about earthquakes, volcanoes and rising sea levels and transform knowledge into preparedness and resilience.

“At the same time, geotourism offers a route to new livelihoods: jobs as guides, educators, conservation managers or hospitality providers, in a way that values ​​local culture and heritage and not just temporary visitors.”

Imagine the future of the Pacific Geopark

The new UNESCO film offers a powerful invitation: Imagine a network of geoparks across the Pacific, islands linked not just by sea but by a shared geological memory. It invites locals and visitors alike to look beyond beaches and resorts and appreciate the Earth's long history.

If the Pacific adopts geoparks, it could become a global model for:

• Protect fragile geology and coral reefs to promote respect for natural history

• Connecting culture, science and sustainable development

• Building resilient communities that understand and honor the earth beneath their feet.

Because in the Pacific, every island is a chapter in the history of the earth and geoparks could help ensure that these stories remain alive for future generations.