What does it take to make climate-related relocation both just and effective? An article in Nature Communications addresses this pressing question by offering a practical, people-centred framework for future relocations.
Relocation is already under way in some climate-vulnerable areas and is likely to become more common as risks grow. Too often, relocation fails to include people affected in the process or give the help they need. To address this, the authors propose a simple but powerful approach that ensures any relocation is based on genuine consent and accompanied by strong, long-term support.
Drawing on examples from around the world, the article outlines how consent and support can guide better decision-making, from the early planning stages to implementation and beyond. The framework encourages actors to ask not only whether relocation is needed, but how it can be done in ways that uphold people’s rights, dignity and aspirations.
“Relocation is not just about moving people from one place to another,” Durand-Delacre reflects. “It is about protecting lives and livelihoods in ways that are just, inclusive and centred around people’s needs and choices.”
In essence, the article contributes to a growing body of research emphasizing that relocation, when necessary, must be done with communities, instead of to them. Read the full article here.
