DS Hosts International Workshop on Land Solutions to Climate Displacement

October 08
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 DS hosted an international workshop on land solutions to climate displacement in Auckland, New Zealand on 4 October. The workshop brought together experts and government officials from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and New Zealand to discuss and examine legal and policy solutions to climate displacement in seven focus countries – Bangladesh, Kiribati, Maldives, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. An element of DS’ Land Solutions Project, the workshop examined the role of customary land law, internal relocation programmes and the construction of new housing, land and property options as solutions to ensuring the rights of climate displaced persons. The workshop will lead to the publication of seven papers on rights-based legal and policy solutions to climate displacement in each of the focus countries. These papers will be compiled into an innovative edited volume designed to provide policy-makers and affected groups with an in-depth understanding of the legal issues involved, how they can be approached and where work is already underway today to protect the rights of climate displaced persons. It is expected that this publication will be available in early 2013.

NEW – Photo Essay on Climate Displacement in Tuvalu

February 07
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Few countries, if any, are as threatened by climate change as one of the world’s most unique nations – Tuvalu. DS has been active in Tuvalu since 2010 working on the question of climate displacement and related housing, land and property rights questions. With a view to revealing to the world the reality of life in Tuvalu today, and what stands to be lost forever if steps are not taken immediately to halt rising sea levels, DS has released a photo essay describing the challenges facing Tuvalu as a consequence of climate-induced displacement, whilst also outlining creative, well-informed and nuanced solutions to this crisis. Based upon DS’s field visits together with UN Habitat to Tuvalu in 2010 and 2011, and utilising pictures taken by the renowned Pacific photographer, Jocelyn Carlin, the message of this photo essay is one of both hope and the need for planning for an uncertain future.

View the photo essay on climate displacement in Tuvalu below.

 

DS to Undertake Major Project on Land Solutions for Climate Displacement

November 30
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In 2012, DS will carry out a major project on land solutions for climate displacement with researchers and scholars from 7 climate-affected countries – Bangladesh, Kiribati, Maldives, PNG, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The study will examine in detail the feasibility of land acquisition, relocation and resettlement options for communities threatened with land loss and homelessness caused by climate change.

New DS Project – Coastal Kids

November 30
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Nauti Primary School grounds, Funafuti, Tuvalu

One of DS’ latest projects – Coastal Kids – will be starting in earnest in early 2012. The Coastal Kids Project will initially bring schools and students living in coastal areas in Bangladesh, Kiribati and Tuvalu into direct contact with schools and students in Australia who are also themselves coastal dwellers. Using communications technology such as Skype and other forms of internet-based connections and learning, the Coastal Kids Project will bring children from these four countries into direct face-to-face contact during which time they can discuss the reality of climate change, learn how climate change is affecting them and what kids in all of these countries can do to better understand the needs and wishes of coastal kids everywhere. Check here soon for further updates!

DS Leads Mission to Climate-Threatened Pacific Countries 2011

October 25
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From 29 August – 15 September, a DS team visited both Kiribati and Tuvalu as a follow-up of the 2010 mission to the Pacific. As low-lying island nations, both Kiribati and Tuvalu are extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and the citizens of these countries are at risk of losing houses, lands and livelihoods unless pro-active, rights-based solutions are pursued. During their time in these countries, the DS team engaged with numerous politicians, UN officials, civil society actors and local people in discussions on the particular housing, land and property rights issues at play, as well as investigating the human rights dimension of the climate displacement threat. Over the course of the mission, a short film, an article and two photo booklets were produced to document and assess the crisis that is unfolding in the Pacific, and these will soon be made available through the Displacement Solutions website.

Kiribati – The sea wall protecting the airport built under KAP II

I-Kiribati gather at the airport to watch the first visit of a UN Secretary General to Kiribati

Kiribati – Matthew’s land is now frequently inundated due to rising seas

DS Director, Scott Leckie, being filmed as he speaks about the situation facing Kiribati

Tuvalu – A house over one of the borrow pits

Tuvalu – The Taiwanese Friendship Garden encourages Tuvaluan’s to create their own vegetable gardens

One of the few sea walls in Tuvalu

An aerial view of Funafuti atoll, Tuvalu, reveals how narrow the land is

New Article on Kiribati and Tuvalu by Scott Leckie and Dan Lewis

November 16
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The Ecologist was kind enough to recently publish a short piece by Scott Leckie and Dan Lewis of UN Habitat following their mission to these countries to examine possible solutions to looming climate displacement. The full article can be accessed here.

DS Leads Climate Mission to the Pacific

October 06
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Displacement Solutions led a three-person mission to Fiji, Kiribati and Tuvalu in August – September 2010. The mission team comprised of Scott Leckie of DS, Dan Lewis of UN Habitat and Emeretta Cross of the Global Dialogue Foundation explored the looming issue of climate-induced displacement and the particular housing, land and property rights issues that are emerging within the context of solving climate displacement. A report on the mission and further articles will be posted soon.