The document discusses the need for preventive community relocations as a strategy for disaster risk reduction due to climate change impacts such as sea level rise and erosion. It emphasizes the importance of adaptive governance based on human rights principles and highlights examples from communities in the Philippines and Fiji that have faced forced relocation. The document also outlines indicators for assessing when relocation is necessary and underscores the collective right to self-determination for affected communities.

1. PREVENTIVE COMMUNITY RELOCATIONS:
INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS AND CONSTRAINTS
FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES
IDRC
DAVOS 2014
Robin Bronen, JD, PhD
University of Alaska Fairbanks
rbronen@yahoo.com

2. August 6, 2014: Kotzebue, Alaska
Record temperature: 23 Celsius

3. Arctic Sea Ice: September 2012
Robin Bronen, JD, PhD
University of Alaska Fairbanks
rbronen@yahoo.com
Arctic Sea Ice extent
September 2012

4. CLIMigration: Climate-Induced
Community Displacement
• SEA LEVEL RISE: 10% of world population
lives 10 meters or less above sea level
• EROSION – thawing permafrost combined
with decreased sea ice
• FLOODING
Climate change will cause permanent relocation
Permanent relocation requires new adaptive governance
institutions
Must be based in human rights doctrine
Robin Bronen Resilience and
Adaptation Program
rbronen@yahoo.com

5. Vendee France
Aftermath of extreme weather event: ad hoc process to
determine ‘no build zones’
Philippines – Tacloban – Typhoon Haiyan, 2014
France – Vendee – Storm Xynthia, 2010
Robin Bronen, JD, PhD
University of Alaska Fairbanks
rbronen@yahoo.com
Tacloban,
Philippines

7. Map of Papua New Guinea

8. Marau village, Bougainville - 5 family homes (September 2012)

9. Background of Fiji
Vunidogoloa Village was identified for relocation in 2010 after the events of Tropical Cyclone
Thomas. Village was succumbing to flooding during heavy rain and during high tide. This was
posing health concerns due to the lack of proper waste disposal and also on the community
housing as sea water intrusion exposed the pine post to rotting.

10. DYNAMIC ADAPTIVE GOVERNANCE
RESPONSE BASED IN HUMAN RIGHTS
Protection in Place: Disaster relief and hazard mitigation
Multi-level social-ecological monitoring and assessments:
Social-ecological indicators :
• Repetitive loss of structure;
• Imminent danger to community;
• Community has no further ability to mitigate through flood
protection, erosion control;
• Loss of livelihoods; public health;
• Predicted sea level rise, erosion and flooding
Relocation – human rights protections, including collective right
to self-determination
Robin Bronen, JD, PhD
University of Alaska Fairbanks
rbronen@yahoo.com

11. Thank YOU
Robin Bronen, JD, PhD
University of Alaska Fairbanks
rbronen@yahoo.com