Displacement related to the adverse impacts of climate change, disasters caused by natural hazards, and environmental degradation is a reality today and will continue to be a growing global concern. When movement of at-risk communities is unavoidable, policy options include planned relocation to move people away from hazardous areas to safer areas before or after a disaster occurs.
Planned relocation is increasingly discussed at the global, regional and national level, yet a number of conceptual and knowledge gaps remain. For example, its relationship with migration and displacement, as well as evacuation or resettlement, is often not clearly understood. Likewise, it remains unclear whether planned relocation constitutes a form of adaptation, a disaster risk reduction strategy and/or a form of loss and damage.
This information brief compiles information regarding frameworks, processes and guidance relevant to planned relocation that exist at the global, regional and national level. It also provides an overview of the PDD’s engagement on planned relocation from 2016-2024.
