The forecast effects of anthropogenic climate change will transform Oceania profoundly in coming decades. Especially the interplay of such factors as extreme weather events, impairments to water resources and food security, and a rising sea-level, may render many coastal regions and low-lying islands uninhabitable in the not-too-distant future. Here I focus on the dominant discourse of forced migration, resettlement and diaspora. My initial concern is to assess how Epeli Hau'ofa’s model of a new, enlarged Oceania stands up under these altered conditions. Although I continue to think Hau'ofa’s counter-narrative significant and correct, I shall argue that smallness in the 21st century does not necessarily have to carry negative implications; on the contrary, and with especial reference to the politics and practice of adapting to the consequences of climate change in the region, it is one of the most important resources at the Pacific islanders’ disposal. I combine my appraisal with a critical discussion of the "environmental refugee” concept, before addressing the problematic that arises when mass displacement and relocation are fixed on as priorities for reacting and adjusting to climate change in Oceania.