A study published in Nature journal, titled ‘Picking fruit is not climate justice’, argues for a need to align Oceania migrant workers’ rights with climate justice. The report argues temporary labour migration from Oceania (such as from Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tuvalu) to Australia's agricultural sector is framed as a ‘solution’ to climate change challenges in Oceania. This minimizes migrant workers' crucial role in maintaining Australia’s food security.

The report argues that climate justice requires reform of temporary labour programmes to eliminate the exploitation and abuse of migrant workers. It critiques discourse that positions Oceania workers as responsible for fixing the problems caused by climate change in their origin countries, where remittances are seen as a method of funding climate adaptation back home.

The study notes that Oceania workers are increasingly speaking out on labour rights violations they face in Australia, citing a worker from Vanuatu who describes his working experience in Australia as ‘like slavery times’. Other workers describe poor living and working conditions and changing rates of pay, among many other issues.

The report argues the Tuvaluan concept of fale pili (meaning 'care for your neighbour as if they are family') can be engaged to facilitate greater support for both workers’ rights and climate justice. This would entail a shift away from racialised discourse of unskilled, cheap migrant labour and towards a recognition of worker agency, knowledge, and political subjectivity.