Planned relocation policies and practices: lessons from Fiji, Bangladesh, and Peru

This brief examines key components of government-led planned relocation frameworks in Fiji, Bangladesh, and Peru, including their impacts on communities and lessons for policymakers developing and implementing similar plans. Planned relocation processes can be simplified into three major stages: planning, relocation, and settlement, each involving a set of critical activities.

The article concludes that given the social and economic costs, planned relocation should be a last resort only after adaptation efforts that would allow communities to stay in place have been exhausted. However, as climate change intensifies, planned relocation may become more common.

• Deep and sustained stakeholder collaboration is among the most critical components of planned relocation initiatives. Without input from communities, especially marginalized groups, the area to which they are relocated may not address their needs.
• Land tenure and land use policy are among the most contentious issues in the planned relocation process. Relocating persons need land titles to enable land ownership and access to government support, as well as to secure access to land and its resources.
• Providing livelihood support to acquire new skills and jobs, as well as critical services such as health, education, and water, is essential. If governments do not provide such measures, those relocating will not be able to adapt.