DS has just published a major 184-page legal report on the land grabbing in Myanmar and how these processes constitute internationally wrongful acts. The report includes a 21-step legal roadmap to end land grabbing once and for in Myanmar, a nation that is one of the worst in the world in  Although the general power of States to compulsorily acquire, expropriate or otherwise confiscate or 'grab' land, homes and properties is legislatively recognised in virtually all national legal systems, to be lawful these processes generally carry with them five fundamental pre-conditions. Namely, when housing, land or property rights are revoked or limited through these processes, this can only be carried out when the taking concerned is:             1) subject to law and due process;             2) subject to the general principles of international law;             3) in the interest of society and not for the benefit of another private party;             4) proportionate, reasonable and subject to a fair balance test between the cost and the aim sought; and             5) subject to the provision of just and satisfactory compensation. In all countries, the act of compulsorily acquiring land is highly regulated and something which rights-respecting governments are often reluctant…...

DS Director Scott Leckie led an online workshop hosted by the Centre for Local Prosperity entitled 'We are all Climate Displaced Persons' on 27 May, 2020 as part of the the 2020 Pandemic and Climate Crisis, and the Uncertain Future of Local Prosperity Virtual Thinkers Lodge Retreat. You can watch a short film about the workshop here: https://youtu.be/Gla-sUjxkq8 In the spirit of previous in-depth retreats at the Thinkers Lodge, Pugwash, Nova Scotia (Canada) the Centre for Local Prosperity convenes virtual discussions with international, regional and local thought leaders on topics that include: shifting the community narrative for adaptability and future agency; climate grief and spirituality as motivation for engagement and action; restorative food, power, built environment, local governance and local economics. In this session, Thinkers discuss how we can create regional places or networks that act as refuges for climate displaced persons, coming from both within our region and internationally. Atlantic Canada could be considered a refugee area for humanity because we have natural resources, we have fresh water, we have a reasonable climate and we have a relatively low population density. We have everything that humanity needs. This video was adapted from the virtual discussion 'We are all Climate…...

DS is happy to announce that the second phase of our One House, One Family at a time project (OHOF) in Bangladesh, implemented with our partners YPSA, is nearly complete. Once Phase 2 is completed, OHOF will have constructed nine new homes for some of Bangladesh's most vulnerable coastal dwellers. These homes are provided on a permanent basis at no cost to the new residents. DS and YPSA will commence Phase 3 of OHOF in mid-2020 and will aim to raise funds for and construct a further eleven homes, thus bringing the total number of homes to 20, providing free homes to more than 100 residents.  Please JOIN us in supporting OHOF by making a financial contribution of any size towards the USD 56,000- budget of Phase 3 by being in contact with us (info@displacementsolutions.org).  As always, we re happy to report that 100% of your funds will go straight to Bangladesh. All efforts by DS are voluntary and carried out on a pro bono basis.  We hope you can assist in making Phase 3 a success!!...

Growing numbers of people are losing their homes and lands every day because of the effects of climate change. Climate displacement is happening now, and has been happening for many years. With some notable exceptions, the vast majority of governments the world over have thus far failed to protect the rights of climate displaced families and only a handful of States have policies and programmes in place to protect this new wave of displacement, which will be far, far larger than displacement associated with conflict and instability.  DS and our partners Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) in Bangladesh established The One House, One Family at a time project (OHOF) several years ago to provide quality homes to some of the most vulnerable climate displaced families in eastern Bangladesh. To date we have built four houses, with four additional houses under construction now. OHOF's third phase will commence in 2020 with the aim of constructing a further 12 homes, culminating in a total of 20 homes by the end of next year. With an average of five or six people per house, OHOF will have provided permanent new homes to more than 100 people by the end of 2020. Virtually…...