What can we learn from the practice of development-forced displacement and resettlement for organised resettlements in response to climate change?

Abstract

It is anticipated that environmental stress induced by climate change may displace some people and communities. While many people will be able to respond to such impacts, there will be groups that are unable to either adapt in situ or migrate. In such cases some degree of planned and assisted resettlement may be required. Specialists are looking for precedents to guide such resettlement, and development-forced displacement and resettlement (DFDR) has been offered. However, DFDR practice is deeply flawed, as evidenced by the large numbers of people who have been impoverished through it. Yet from these flaws come lessons. This paper analyses DFDR for its frailties, to identify these lessons an..