New Caledonia and Regional Winners Recognized at Pacific Dataviz Challenge

Six individuals from New Caledonia received awards during the fifth edition of the Pacific Dataviz Challenge in Fiji, as announced by the Pacific Community. The competition focused on climate change this year, utilizing data visualization to make complex scientific and environmental information accessible to the general public through infographics, animations, and interactive web applications.

Stoyann Velten captured the top Pacific prize with an interactive visualization titled "Datamoana." The project guides users through a twelve-chapter journey across 22 island countries and territories, addressing critical topics such as sea-level rise, food security, health, and energy by drawing on data from the Pacific Data Hub.

Other notable awardees included Loïs Saoulo and Cody Lai Tham, who tied for the second Pacific prize with their interactive project "The sea of before no longer exists," focusing on ocean warming and sea-level rise in the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Tuvalu. In the youth category, Chloé Malaval and Inès Reboul earned recognition for their static infographics detailing climate threats across Melanesian and island ecosystems.

Aaron Kacirek, a student at Mont-Dore high school, received the best school project award for the Melanesia region with his static visualization "Fiji, in the eye of the cyclone." The project highlights the recurring impacts of tropical cyclones on local populations, infrastructure, and economies.

The competition is supported by the Pacific Data Hub, serving as a primary knowledge portal for the region. This year's participants explored pressing environmental themes including precipitation changes, livelihoods, and sustainable development through diverse digital and static mediums.

Data visualization continues to play an essential role in translating complex oceanic data into actionable insights for communities facing environmental challenges across the Pacific islands.