Abstract
This chapter examines the vulnerability of small island developing states such as the Pitcairn Islands, and how their adaptive capacity to changing circumstances is important in achieving the goal of sustainable livelihood. The chapter discusses Pitcairn's current political and socio-economic situation including the tourism potential of, and opportunities around, developing cruise tourism and a marine protected area in the Pitcairn waters. The relevance of resilience to establishing appropriate policies and management responses to such challenges is highlighted with the conclusion pondering the yet unknown capacity of Pitcairn to accede to a policy of managed decline or progress to one of strategic growth. The latter embraces the notion of resilience as a counter-strategy and reconfiguration as a means to re-image the conventional narrative around small island states.