Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Managing Climate Change Adaptation in the Pacific Region pp 129–149Cite as

Planned Relocation from the Impacts of Climate Change in Small Island Developing States: The Intersection Between Adaptation and Loss and Damage

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Climate Change Management ((CCM))

Abstract

An increasing number of people have to abandon their homes and livelihoods due to the adverse impacts of climate change. Human mobility has always been part of people’s lives, however, some movements, especially planned relocation in the context of climate change, have become involuntary. Non-economic losses occur and the question is whether the relocation of entire communities is still and adaptation response or falls under the realm of loss and damage (L&D) from climate change. This chapter explores the intersection between migration as an adaptation response and L&D with a focus on small island developing states. It analyses when human mobility can no longer be described as adaptation as non-economic losses become too high. It shows that existing frameworks are inadequate to assess community relocation in the context of L&D and non-economic losses. The chapter concludes that there is a spectrum leading from human mobility as an adaptation response to forced migration as L&D. It develops a new framework to assess planned relocation projects and provides concrete recommendations to reduce non-economic losses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee was formed to negotiate the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

  2. 2.

    Article 8 of the Paris Agreement: “Parties recognize the importance of averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and slow onset events, and the role of sustainable development in reducing the risk of loss and damage”.

  3. 3.

    For a detailed outline of the history of loss and damage see Roberts and Huq (2015).

  4. 4.

    These figures do not make a distinction between small island developing states or other signatories to the Convention.

  5. 5.

    Refers to wording used in UNFCCC texts to show the applicability of counter actions to the work undertaken by the WIM ExCom.

References

  • Adger WN, Agrawala S, Mirza MMQ, Conde C, O’Brien K, Pulhin J, Pulwarty R, Smit B, Takahashi K (2007) Assessment of adaptation practices, options, constraints and capacity. In: Parry OFCML, Palutikof JP, van der Linden PJ, Hanson CE (eds) Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability contribution of working group II to the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 717–743

    Google Scholar 

  • Adger WN, Arnell NW, Tompkins EL (2005) Successful adaptation to climate change across scales. Glob Environ Change 15:77–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Adger WN, Pulhin JM, Barnett J, Dabelko GD, Hovelsrud GK, Levy M, Spring ÚO, Vogel CH (2014) Human security. In: Climate change 2014: impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Part A: global and sectoral aspects. Contribution of working group II to the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Field CB et al (ed). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New York, pp 755–791

    Google Scholar 

  • Albert S, Bronen R, Tooler N, Leon J, Yee D, Ash J, Boseto D, Grinham A (2018) Heading for the hills: climate-driven community relocations in the Solomon Islands and Alaska provide insight for a 1.5 C future. Reg Environ Change 18:2261–2272

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andrei S, Rabbani G, Khan H, Haque M, Ali D (2015) Non-economic loss and damage caused by climatic stressors in selected coastal districts of Bangladesh, Bangladesh

    Google Scholar 

  • AOSIS (2008) Proposal to the AWG-LCA: multi-window mechanism to address loss and damage from climate change impacts

    Google Scholar 

  • AOSIS (Vanuatu) (1991) Draft annex relating to Article 23 (insurance) for inclusion in the revised single text on elements relating to mechanisms (A/AC.237/WG.II/ Misc.13) submitted by the Co-Chairmen of Working Group II)

    Google Scholar 

  • Asian Development Bank (2011) Climate change and migration in Asia and the Pacific draft edition

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnett J, Evans LS, Gross C, Kiem AS, Kingsford RT, Palutikof J P, Pickering CM, Smithers SG (2015) From barriers to limits to climate change adaptation: path dependency and the speed of change

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnett J, McMichael C (2018) The effects of climate change on the geography and timing of human mobility. Popul Environ 39:339–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birk T, Rasmussen K (2014) Migration from atolls as climate change adaptation: current practices, barriers and options in Solomon Islands. Nat Resour Forum 38:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyd E, James RA, Jones RG, Young HR, Otto FE (2017) A typology of loss and damage perspectives. Nat Clim Change 7:723

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell J, Barnett J (2010) Climate change and small island states: power, knowledge and the South Pacific. Earthscan, London, Washington, DC

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell J, Warrick O (2014) Climate change and migration issues in the Pacific, Fiji

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell JR (2014) Climate-change migration in the Pacific. The Contemporary Pacific 1–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell JR, Goldsmith M, Koshy K (2005) Community relocation as an option for adaptation to the effects of climate change and climate variability in Pacific Island Countries

    Google Scholar 

  • Charan D, Kaur M. Singh P (2017) Customary land and climate change induced relocation—a case study of Vunidogoloa Village, Vanua Levu, Fiji. Springer International Publishing, pp 19–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Collier P (2013) Exodus: how migration is changing our world. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Connell J, Coelho S (2018) Planned relocation in Asia and the Pacific. Forced Migr Rev 46–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Dow K, Berkhout F, Preston BL, Klein RJT, Midgley G, Shaw MR (2013) Limits to adaptation. Nat Clim Change 3:305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durand A, Huq S (2015) Defining loss and damage: key challenges and considerations for developing an operational definition. International Centre for Climate Change and Development, Bangladesh

    Google Scholar 

  • Fankhauser S, Dietz S, Gradwell P (2014) Non-economic losses in the context of the UNFCCC work programme on loss and damage. Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. Available at: https://www.cccep.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Fankhauser-Dietz-Gradwell-Loss-Damage-final.pdf

  • Farbotko C, Lazrus H (2012) The first climate refugees? Contesting global narratives of climate change in Tuvalu. Glob Environ Change 22:382–390

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gharbaoui D, Blocher J (2018) Limits to adapting to climate change through relocations in Papua-New Guinea and Fiji. In: Filho WL, Nalau J (ed) Limits to climate change adaptation. Springer International Publishing, pp 359–379

    Google Scholar 

  • GIZ (2017) Adapting to climate change: a new start in Fiji. https://www.giz.de/en/mediacenter/57948.html

  • Government of Fiji (2018) Planned Relocation Guidelines—a framework to undertake climate change related relocation. Ministry of Economy: Suva, Fiji. Available at: https://cop23.com.fj/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/CC-PRG-BOOKLET-22-1.pdf

  • Hino M, Field CB, Mach KJ (2017) Managed retreat as a response to natural hazard risk. Nat Clim Change 7:364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoegh-Guldberg O, Jacob D, Taylor M, Bindi M, Brown S, Camilloni I, Diedhiou A, Djalante R, Ebi K, Engelbrecht F, Guiot J, Hijioka Y, Mehrotra S, Payne A, Seneviratne SI, Thomas A, Warren R, Zhou G (2018) Global warming of 1.5°C. In: Masson-Delmotte V et al (ed) An IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty. Geneva, Switzerland, pp 175–311

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2014) Climate change 2014: impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Part A: global and sectoral aspects. Contribution of working group II to the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirsch S, Biery-Hamilton GM, Brown MF, Brush SB, Cleveland DA, Dirlik A, Dominguez V, Escobar A, Finney B, Giles-Vernick T (2001) Lost worlds: environmental disaster, “culture loss”, and the law. Curr Anthropol 42:167–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin M, Billah M, Siddiqui T, Black R, Kniveton D (2013) Policy analysis: climate change and migration Bangladesh

    Google Scholar 

  • McAdam J (2014) Historical cross-border relocations in the Pacific: lessons for planned relocations in the context of climate change. J Pac Hist 49:301–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLeman R, Smit B (2006) Migration as an adaptation to climate change. Clim Change 76:31–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLeman RA, Hunter LM (2010) Migration in the context of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change: insights from analogues. Wiley Interdisc Rev Clim Change 1:450–461

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNamara KE, Bronen R, Fernando N, Klepp S (2018) The complex decision-making of climate-induced relocation: adaptation and loss and damage. Clim Policy 18:111–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrissey J, Oliver-Smith A (2013) Perspectives on non-economic loss and damage: understanding values at risk from climate change

    Google Scholar 

  • Nalau J, Handmer J (2018) Improving development outcomes and reducing disaster risk through planned community relocation. Sustainability 10:3545

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nansen Initiative (2015) Disaster-induced cross-border displacement-agenda for the protection of cross-border displaced persons in the context of disasters and climate change, vol 1

    Google Scholar 

  • Nichols A (2019) Climate change, natural hazards, and relocation: insights from Nabukadra and Navuniivi villages in Fiji. Clim Change 1–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Piggott-McKellar AE, McNamara KE, Nunn PD, Sekinini ST (2019) Moving people in a changing climate: lessons from two case studies in Fiji. Soc Sci 8:133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Platform on Disaster Displacement (2019) Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD) Strategy 2019–2022

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts E, Huq S (2015) Coming full circle: the history of loss and damage under the UNFCCC. Int J Glob Warming 8:141–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts E, Zakieldeen A (2018) Pocket guide to loss and damage under the UNFCCC. European Capacity Building Initiative. Available at: https://ecbi.org/sites/default/files/FinalVersionLoss%26Damage_1.pdf

  • Serdeczny O (2017) What does it mean to “Address Displacement” under the UNFCCC? An analysis of the negotiations process and the role of research. German Development Institute. Available at: https://www.die-gdi.de/uploads/media/DP_12.2017.pdf

  • Serdeczny O, Pierre-Nathoniel D, Siegele L (2018) Progress on loss and damage in Katowice. Climateanalytics. Available at: https://climateanalytics.org/blog/2018/progress-on-loss-and-damage-in-katowice/

  • Serdeczny O, Waters E, Chan S (2016a) Non-economic loss and damage in the context of climate change understanding the challenges. Bonn, Germany

    Google Scholar 

  • Serdeczny O, Waters E, Chan S (2016b) Non-economic loss and damage: addressing the forgotten side of climate change impacts, Germany. Available at: https://www.die-gdi.de/uploads/media/BP_3.2016_neu.pdf

  • Thomas A, Benjamin L (2018) Policies and mechanisms to address climate-induced migration and displacement in Pacific and Caribbean small island developing states. Int J Clim Change Strat Manage 10:86–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNFCCC (1992) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Available at: https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/conveng.pdf

  • UNFCCC (2008) Report of the Conference of the Parties on its thirteenth session. Available at: https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/conferences/past-conferences/bali-climate-change-conference-december-2007/cop-13/cop-13-reports

  • UNFCCC (2011) Report of the conference of the parties on its sixteenth session. Available at: https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2010/cop16/eng/07a01.pdf#page=2

  • UNFCCC (2013a) Report of the Conference of the Parties on its eighteenth session. Available at: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/docs/2012/cop18/eng/08a01.pdf

  • UNFCCC (2013b) Non-economic losses in the context of the work programme on loss and damage Technical paper. Available at: https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2013/tp/02.pdf

  • UNFCCC (2014) Report of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with climate change impacts—Annex II—Initial two-year workplan of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanim for Loss and Damage. Available at: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/docs/2014/sb/eng/04.pdf

  • UNFCCC (2017) 5-year rolling work plan—Annex I to the report of the 2017 Executive Committee. Available at: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Detailed%20workplan%20by%20strategic%20workstreams.pdf

  • UNFCCC (2018) Suva Expert Dialogue-Background: range of topic areas under loss and damage. Available at: https://unfccc.int/topics/adaptation-and-resilience/workstreams/loss-and-damage-ld/workshops-meetings/suva-expert-dialogue#eq-7

  • UNFCCC (2018b) Report of the Task Force on Displacement. Available at: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/2018_TFD_report_17_Sep.pdf

  • UNFCCC (2019a) Katowice Climate Package-Matters relating to the global stocktake referred to in Article 14 of the Paris Agreement and paragraphs 99–101—Decision19/CMA.1 section I6. b) ii). Available at: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/cma2018_3_add2%20final_advance.pdf#page=53

  • UNFCCC (2019b) Katowice Climate Package—Modalities, procedures and guidelines for the transparency framework for action and support referred to in Article 13 of the Paris Agreement—Decision 18/CMA.1 Annex IV G.115 a-c. Available at: https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/cma2018_3_add2%20final_advance.pdf#page=18

  • Warner K (2012) Human migration and displacement in the context of adaptation to climate change: the Cancun adaptation framework and potential for future action. Environ Plann C Gov Policy 30:1061–1077

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warner K, Afifi T, Kälin W, Leckie S, Ferris B, Martin SF, Wrathall D (2013) Changing climate, moving people: framing migration, displacement and planned relocation. Bonn, Germany

    Google Scholar 

  • Warner K, van der Geest K (2013) Loss and damage from climate change: local-level evidence from nine vulnerable countries. Int J Glob Warming 5:367–386

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weir T, Dovey L, Orcherton D (2017) Social and cultural issues raised by climate change in Pacific Island countries: an overview. Reg Environ Change 17:1017–1028. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-1012-5

Download references

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my thanks to Dr. Anthony Weir for his advice and help in refining this chapter as well as my supervisor Professor Jamie Pittock for his continued support and guidance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fenner School of Environment and Society Canberra, Australian National University, Acton, Australia

    Melanie Pill

Authors
  1. Melanie Pill
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melanie Pill .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. HAW Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Pill, M. (2020). Planned Relocation from the Impacts of Climate Change in Small Island Developing States: The Intersection Between Adaptation and Loss and Damage. In: Leal Filho, W. (eds) Managing Climate Change Adaptation in the Pacific Region. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-40552-6_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation